


Colour Me In Love

by starksnack



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Aftercare, Alternate Universe - After College/University, Alternate Universe - No Powers, Anal Sex, Anniversary, Artist Steve Rogers, Awesome Joseph Rogers, Awesome Sarah Rogers, Barebacking, Bisexual Steve Rogers, Bisexual Tony Stark, Blow Jobs, Body Paint, Bottom Tony Stark, Brooklyn, Cameras, Canon Divergence - Post-Iron Man 1, Come as Lube, Consensual Sex, Declarations Of Love, Edible Body Paint, Enthusiastic Consent, Eventual Smut, Explicit Sexual Content, Family Fluff, Feminization, Food as a Metaphor for Love, Friends to Lovers, Friendship/Love, Genius Tony Stark, Getting Together, Height Differences, Howard Stark's A+ Parenting, Howard Stark's Bad Parenting, Idiots in Love, If You Squint - Freeform, Implied/Referenced Sex, Irish Sarah Rogers, Irish Steve Rogers, Italian Tony Stark, Lace Panties, M/M, Maria Stark's Bad Parenting, Marriage Proposal, Mentioned James "Rhodey" Rhodes/Sam Wilson, Misuse of Syrup, My First Smut, New York City, Oral Sex, POV Alternating, Painting, Past Pepper Potts/Tony Stark, Past Tony Stark/Tiberius Stone, Rimming, Sharing Body Heat, Sharing Clothes, Sharing a Bed, Shower Sex, Showers, Slow Burn, Steve Rogers Needs a Hug, Steve Rogers's Motorcycle, Stony - Freeform, Tony Stark Feels, Tony Stark Has A Heart, Tony Stark Needs a Hug, Top Steve Rogers, Watercolors, Well it's syrup, You Won't Be Able to Ever Have Syrup the Same Again
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-25
Updated: 2019-02-14
Packaged: 2019-05-28 06:10:46
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 12
Words: 24,927
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15042488
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/starksnack/pseuds/starksnack
Summary: [5:12 AM] Hey so I know you modeled for me like two years ago, but I really liked the work we did and was wondering if we could get together for coffee and talk about your possible participation in my upcoming project. Please let me know when you’re available. - SRTony models for Steve.Basically two idiots in love.EDITED 14/2/2019 TO ADD AN EPILOGUE





	1. Tony

**Author's Note:**

> This fic has passed a lot of hands before coming close to the light of day.  
> Special thanks to  
> \- Nina @el_gilliath on [here](https://archiveofourown.org/users/el_gilliath/pseuds/el_gilliath)  
> \- May: @marvelicious on [here](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jayjaybe/pseuds/Marvelicious) and @_stargxzing on [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/_stargxing/)  
> \- Kath: @re.avengers on [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/re.avengers/)  
> \- Ava: @ohmyhiddles on [here](https://archiveofourown.org/users/ohmyhiddles)  
> \- Nat: @agentsofavengers on [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/agentsofavengers/)  
> I couldn't have done this without their love and support. This fic was a total mess before they all helped me sort through it and I appreciate every single one of them for all their help.
> 
> This fic is totally spoiler free for everything except the first Iron Man movie.
> 
> Prompt from dailyau: You modeled for me once and I did my best work with you, will you be my muse? AU
> 
> In this one there are no superheroes. Steve and Tony were born in the same year and met in high school. Tony was kidnapped halfway through college and Rhodey rescued him so there was no Iron Man. It’s a wee bit confusing but stick with me.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So in the 616 universe Steve Rogers lives on 569 Leaman Lane which is in Lynbrook (is that knockoff Brooklyn?) east of Queens. So I kept the address the same but for distances I set him up in Brooklyn Heights at 93 Remsen Street on the corner of Remsen and Henry across from the public library. Yes struggling artist Steve and his parents would never be able to afford an apartment there under normal circumstances but we’re going to pretend.

_ [5:12 AM] Hey so I know you modeled for me like two years ago, but I really liked the work we did and was wondering if we could get together for coffee and talk about your possible participation in my upcoming project. Please let me know when you’re available. - SR _

Tony Stark had no idea how skinny Steve Rogers got his number, but it kind of warmed him up inside. He remembered modeling for him in the past. Steve’s delicate touch on his arm as he moved his body into position. The delicious ache in his muscles as he sat for hours while Steve sketched him and then darkened the lines in bold ink. The crack of his sore joints after particularly long bouts with Steve and his watercolours.

He had loved modeling for Steve. They had met during their sophomore year of high school at a coffee shop that Steve had been working at. He could recall the blush across the smaller boy’s face as he shyly told Tony he was beautiful. The brunet had been flattered. Even more so when Steve had asked if he could paint him. For three years they had been inseparable. You couldn’t get one without the other. They spent their weekends together hanging out, watching movies, and making mischief. They had even done the whole friendship bracelet thing, matching leather cord bracelets with metal beads bearing their initials. Even now, years after their friendship had dissipated, Tony still wore his.

They had kissed just once. Near the end of senior year. Steve had been working on his last painting for high school. Tony had to sit in itchy grass for two hours with a smile on his face but he did it because he wanted Steve to be happy. And painting made him so happy. They had been laughing and joking all afternoon in a way that warmed his heart. Tony was even thinking of deferring his MIT scholarship for a year in order to spend more time with Steve in New York. He had talked it over with Steve’s mom and she had even offered to let Tony move in with them. That was when he realized that he loved him. That he loved the small blond who delicately painted him like he was something that mattered. 

And he thought the feeling was reciprocated. He was practically a part of Steve’s family. They spent weekends tangled together on the couch watching movies. Sleepy Monday mornings had Steve buying him coffee and directing him with a gentle hand on the small of his back. They were constantly in each other’s space, appropriating one another’s chairs, and eating out of the same plate.

Tony had surged forward while Steve had been adjusting his chin and their lips had caught in the most delicate kiss of Tony’s life. It was Steve that had gently pulled away from Tony, looked up at him through pretty blond eyelashes, and told him that he was unwaveringly straight.

Embarrassment had prevented Tony from seeing Steve again after that particularly mortifying experience. He grabbed on to the MIT scholarship and didn’t look back. Tried his best not to dwell on the horrible miscalculation that had led to the fiery death of his friendship. Humiliation had led him to ignore forty-two texts, twenty-seven calls, fourteen voicemails, and an actual handwritten letter in the artist’s neat script. There were apologies, dinner invitations, and even a request to be pen pals.

When Steve didn’t get the hint that he didn’t want to talk, Tony changed his number. He hadn’t heard from Steve since. Until now. Tony had finished up his doctorates in two years of sleepless nights and lab experiments before moving to a bigger, lonelier apartment in lower Manhattan. Steve had always lingered in the forefront of his mind.

That hadn’t prevented Tony from going through many lovers following his failed friendship with Steve. Each one was more painful than the last and at this point his small humiliation was nothing compared to the mess of relationships that came after.

There was Tiberius Stone who he only dated to flirt with the idea of getting married and doing a company merger. Howard had come up with the idea and Tony had gone along with it in a last desperate attempt to please his old man. Not only was Ty controlling, but his insecurity had managed to convince him that Tony didn’t love him enough. Ty was honestly a little wacko and that relationship imploded soon after it began. 

Shortly after there was his brief stint with Rumiko, another child of one of his father’s business partners before he realized she just wanted him for the money. He had no problem with buying her expensive things if it resulted in a stable relationship. Finding out she was a gold digger was nothing compared to finding her in bed with Ty. Cheating was bad enough before Ru had to go and cheat on him with his ex-boyfriend. Safe to say that the story of him and Ru ended at the bottom of a bottle.

More recently was his personal assistant Pepper Potts. She was genuine, kept his head screwed on straight, and didn’t take his shit. He loved that about her. He never had to guess where they stood because she took charge and told him. She was brutally honest in a way that he still adored, and she always supported him no matter what. While they were an amazing couple, Pepper had always been an independent woman and Tony could respect that she didn’t need a significant other because she was significant all on her own.

He picked up his phone making the split second decision to agree. Maybe getting back into being a model would humanise him. His father died shortly after he broke it off with Rumiko. Car accident, nobody’s fault. Forbes had already labelled him a genius child. And after being kidnapped sometime before his relationship with Pepper, he had steered his father’s company away from weapons manufacturing. He needed something from before to balance everything out. To make him feel like the carefree person he used to be.

_ [7:25 AM] hey steve my pa pepper will get you penciled in to my schedule expect to hear from her soon _

He let out a deep sigh of relief as the delivered notification popped up. He set down his phone on his bedside table before sitting up and rubbing his eyes sleepily. The clock at his bedside table read 7:27 and Tony let out a feral groan. On a Monday morning too. He had a sneaking suspicion that Pepper only scheduled his meetings at ungodly hours because they weren’t together anymore. She was perfectly happy to plan his appointments after noon back when they were still dating so she could enjoy indulgent morning sex.

“Jarvis,” Tony waited a beat as the AI greeted him pleasantly. “Give Pepper Steve’s number and get her to put him in my schedule sometime next week.”

He swung his legs out of bed padding to the bathroom to relieve himself and splash water on his face. He grinned at his reflection in an attempt to psyche himself up for his  _ super awesome  _ meeting at eight in the morning. It didn’t work, it never did and he pouted as he straightened to neatly shave the corners of his goatee and brush his teeth.

He pulled a black Italian cut three-piece suit out of his closet, his mom’s brand, perfect for pleasing the stockholders, and set to getting dressed as quick as possible.

He was just looping a black silk tie around his neck when his phone dinged. He was ashamed to admit that he excitedly rushed over like a teenage girl waiting for her crush to text back.

_ [7:39 AM] Pepper has asked me to tell you to schedule your own, ‘goddamn personal meetings’ she has also informed me that you are free after your last meeting today at three sharp. _

_ [7:41 AM] So I’ll see you at the usual booth at three fifteen. I hope your coffee order is still the same. Good luck at your shareholder meeting. _


	2. Steve

Tony was twenty minutes late when he stumbled into the coffee shop scanning the place for Steve. He looked devilishly handsome in a jet black suit fitted within an inch of his life and his hair falling over his forehead like he’d just woken up. He had definitely glowed up in the past two years, not that he wasn’t ridiculously attractive before. He wasn’t wearing his glasses and had grown in a beard that made him look rugged and handsome at the same time.

It wasn’t like Steve hadn’t done his fair share of growing either. He had experienced what his ma liked to define as a late growth spurt and shot up almost a full foot. Peer pressure had pushed him into joining the college’s baseball and track teams so he had muscled out too. He weighed more than double what he did before and benched it too.

Steve waited for Tony to recognize him and come sit down but the brunet still stood in the doorway like a lost puppy. His dark eyes skipped right over Steve’s form and he squinted at a small blond boy near the counter before his shoulders slumped in clear defeat and he turned to leave.

Steve nearly mowed down a pregnant woman and her husband in his haste to catch Tony before he left. He grabbed the smaller man by the wrist and he immediately whirled around, startled.

He tilted his head up and his wide eyes met Steve’s. He did a double take and blinked a couple of times in wonder. “Steve?” He tugged a pair of glasses out of his bag and shoved them on to look Steve up and down. His brown eyes were magnified by the black frames and Steve felt like he was drowning in the chocolate pools. Just like that the artist was transported to two years ago with Tony looking up at him in wonder. “I can’t believe you waited.” 

“My art is worth it,” Steve responded, Tony was worth it and he would always be. With an uncontrollable grin he ushered Tony into the booth they had usually shared back when they were friends.

Tony slid his glasses off his nose tucking them into his pocket and looking around at everything but the man in front of him. Steve glances at the counter where Sharon, one of the baristas he used to work with, shot him a thumbs up before starting on Tony’s coffee order like planned.

“So how have you been?” Steve started off with a simple question hoping to open up the conversation. It had taken forever for him to find someone who had Tony’s number. Even though Sharon had it, she refused to betray her cousin by passing it on so he had to ask his gym buddy, Sam, to ask his boyfriend, James, a guy who went to college with Tony, for the number. Stressful and tedious process, but definitely worth the man sitting in front of him.

“Here is your coffee,” Sharon set the mug in front of Tony who accepted it with a grateful smile.

“Thanks Shar,” Tony curled his hands around the mug inhaling the steam curling from it and effectively ignoring Steve’s question, “tell Aunt Peg I’m coming to visit this weekend.”

Sharon curled her hair around her finger smiling down at him before ruffling his hair, “will do Ant. Catch you later.”

He hated that nickname Steve remembered as he watched Tony blush profusely with a cutely wrinkled nose. Steve tried to keep from ogling as Tony nodded taking a sip of his coffee before frowning and reaching for the sugar. Steve watched shocked as Tony fumbled at the packet, squinting at the print. Tony never put sugar in his coffee, he preferred it black, like his soul, he used to joke. Steve frowned as Tony held up a salt packet shaking it before tearing it open.

“What are you doing?” Steve asked grabbing his wrist before he could dump the entire salt packet into his coffee.

“Sweetening my coffee,” Tony responded with a skeptical eyebrow raise as he looked down at Steve’s hand on his wrist.

“With salt?”

Tony cursed setting down the packet and rubbing his eyes with his fingers. He dug into his jacket pulling his glasses back out and setting them on his face, “I know you hate my glasses, but I don’t like wearing contacts.” He whispered in what seemed like defeat as he looked down at his coffee before pouring in way more sugar than was healthy.

“I never said I didn’t like your glasses Tony,” Steve responded, reaching over and gently pushing the frames up Tony’s pert nose to get his attention. He didn’t miss the way Tony flinched away from him but he took a deep breath and continued anyway. “I like the way you look in them.”

“You always pulled them off my face before painting me,” Tony responded hiding behind his mug as he took a long indulgent sip to avoid eye contact with Steve’s hopeful blues. His glasses steamed up and Tony used the sleeve of his dress shirt to wipe off the fog.

“Because as much as I like how adorable you look in glasses, your eyes are a work of art and I don’t like your glasses in the way as I paint them.” Steve replied softly watching as Tony’s eyes snapped up to his, utter surprise magnified by his glasses. “So, how are you?”

“Let’s get to business shall we?” Tony squinted at him before drumming his fingers on the wooden table shooting a look out the window. Steve resisted a frustrated groan as Tony yet again ignored his question and hijacked the conversation. “Tell me what you want me to do and we’ll discuss a schedule for work.”

Steve set his palms on the table and shifted uncomfortably in his seat as he let Tony dictate the discourse. “I am entering an art competition. The winner gets ten grand and I want to open a studio,” Steve explained calmly though on the inside his nerves were strung tight. “I was hoping we could do about three pieces to tell a short story. Maybe shoot a couple of behind the scenes Polaroids to demonstrate the variety of art of which I’m capable.”

“So I’ll clear my schedule for the next three days,” Tony responded already tapping away at his phone. “The sooner we get this done, the better.”

Steve swallowed fiddling with a fraying seam in his jeans. This conversation was not going as planned. He had wanted to get at least ten days out of Tony. After the disaster that had ended their friendship, he’d been hoping to rebuild the relationship they had spent the better part of three art-filled years forming.

“I am free from three to seven,” Steve added. “I was thinking you might need to clear your schedule for a week out just in case the paintings take longer.

Tony set down his phone and flashed him a confused smile as his delicate fingers picked up a napkin and began shredding it. “I know you’re capable of painting fast, we probably shouldn’t spend more time together than necessary” Tony responded standing and dropping thirty on the table in tens. “I hope you enjoy the rest of your day.”

“Wait,” Steve grabbed his wrist for the second time that day to stop Tony from leaving. “Do you want to come back to the apartment, ma made the Shepherd's Pie you love, she hasn’t seen you in forever and she’s been asking.”

Steve watched Tony’s face soften at the mention of Steve’s mom. He knew Tony had a soft spot for her and her delicious gluten free waffles. He had paid off her medical bills back when he was first modeling for Steve. It was Tony’s generosity that Steve appreciated most about him. It wasn’t even like the cost  was anything was to him, his father was a billionaire and  could afford to pay his mom’s medical bills several times over.

“Of course,” Tony followed him out to the curb where Steve swung a leg over his motorcycle running his fingers over the tank. He passed Tony the extra helmet that no one else had worn since the last time Tony had been on Steve’s bike.

“Hop on,” Steve cocked his head to the side as he slid his helmet visor over his face. He felt Tony’s tentative hands on his shoulders as he mounted the bike gingerly keeping his distance. With a sigh Steve reached back gripping Tony’s hands which were rested on his own thighs and bringing them around his midsection. He was satisfied when the smaller man was molded to his back, his head pressed between his shoulder blades, legs carefully tucked behind his.

Steve exhaled slowly as he started the bike. This felt so different in his new body, now that Tony was smaller than him and couldn’t rest his head on Steve’s shoulder. The weight against his back was the same and he reveled in the feeling of one of his closest friends being near him again. He hadn’t realized how being away from Tony had taken away a part of him until the missing piece had returned. He wanted the ride to last longer , but Tony would know if he ‘accidentally’ took a wrong turn so they arrived at the apartment a too short ten minutes later.

Before he had a chance to put down the stand Tony was scrambling off the bike as if Steve’s presence burned and heading toward the door of the apartment. He didn’t hesitate to knock and Steve hurried after him. The door swung open and his mom gasped grabbing Tony and drawing him into her embrace.

“The prodigal son has returned,” she squealed pulling away to study his face and pressing a kiss to his cheek. When she pulled away Steve delighted in the lipstick on his friend’s face. “Please, come in,” she threw an arm around his shoulder pulling him toward the kitchen and the set table, “Joseph should be home any minute and then we can start eating.”

“Thank you for inviting me over, Mrs. Rogers,” Tony followed her to the kitchen where four placemats where set on the wooden table.

Habit drove Tony to take his normal seat and Steve delighted in the way that even in the expensive Carbonelli suit and the watch and the tie, Tony looked right at home at the Rogers’ dinner table.

Steve smiled , reaching for the Polaroid camera he had left on the fridge and adjusting the exposure based on the scene luminescence. He moved so the light wouldn’t reflect off Tony’s glasses and looked at his best friend through the lense.

“It’s Sarah or Ma,” she replied dropping a kiss on his head running a hand through his curly brown hair. Steve hit the capture button as his mom cupped Tony’s face squishing his cheeks together. He set the Polaroid on the table to develop before dropping down into his seat beside Tony.

“Of course, Mom.” Tony grinned up at her warmly in a way that made Steve slightly jealous of his own mother. “I heard you made shepherds pie?”

“Just for you,” she pulled the dish out of the oven setting it at the table right as the door opened and Steve’s dad, Joseph, walked in. He dropped a kiss on his wife before hugging Steve.

Tony awkwardly rose to his feet sticking out his hand, “Good evening sir.”

Steve snapped a second Polaroid as his dad grabbed Tony’s hand and pulled him in for a warm hug clapping him on the back. “Don’t sir me son, you’re making me feel old.”

Tony laughed, relief flirting across his face as he sat back in his chair. He looked down at his lap, smiling to himself adorably as he was served Shepherd’s pie. Steve’s dad broke out the root beers passing them around as they all sat down for dinner.

“I heard you graduated from MIT,” Steve shot his mom a look when Tony blushed profusely. “We are so proud of you, we sent you a congratulations card but it bounced back.”

Steve remembered Tony mentioning something about deferring. He wanted to take a gap year with Steve to allow the artist to figure out what he wanted to do. Steve was against it from the start trying to push Tony to complete college regardless of what he was planning on doing. That was the one plus side of the brutal way their friendship had ended. Tony no longer had a reason to keep putting off college.

“Yeah,” Tony shrugged and Steve recognized the feigned nonchalance as his features darkened considerably, “I sold the mansion after the crash. I’ll give you my new address.”

“That’s a bad break son,” Steve’s dad grabbed a sticky note off the fridge passing it over to Tony along with a pen. “You ’ll always have a family with us.”

Tony scribbled down his new address, an apartment in lower Manhattan, passing it over to Steve’s mom who stuck it on the fridge. She ruffled his hair before tilting his head back to study his face, “I like the goatee.”

“Thanks Mom,” he brushed his fingers through the short hairs on his chin with a goofy smirk, “what I lack in height I make up for in style.”

Steve watched his parents laugh as his ma tried to serve Tony more Shepherds Pie which he politely refused. He finished off his root beer throwing the bottle in the recycling bin beneath the sink. Tony moved around the kitchen like he lived here. It brought a contented smile to the blond’s face, like coming home. Tony had long since abandoned his suit jacket thrown over the back of his chair. He rolled up his sleeves exposing wiry forearms as he picked up his and Steve’s empty plate.

Steve poked at the Polaroids on the table before carefully tucking them both in his pocket. He could feel the flutter of hope in his chest as he fingered the leather cord around his wrist.

“Son, you better not be doing the dishes,” Steve’s dad called from the table as Tony took his and Steve’s mom’s empty plates to the sink.

“I’m not doing the dishes,” Tony sang as he rinsed off all the plates and grabbed the dish soap from underneath the counter.

Steve’s ma shook her head putting the leftovers in the fridge. She stopped, and Steve watched as she looked at Tony with a dazed expression.

“You really scared us,” she whispered setting a hand on Tony’s shoulder. “Disappearing like that with no explanation and then the crash and the kidnapping-” She pulled Tony toward her and he dried his hands to hug her back. “We missed you so much, please don’t ever leave without telling us where you’re going.”

“I’m sorry Mom,” Tony rubbed her back soothingly before pulling away gently and shooting her a confused look. “Steve didn’t tell you what happened?” Tony shot Steve a look over her shoulder.

Sarah shook her head as she grabbed a stack of envelopes from the top of the fridge handing them to Tony. “These are all the cards we wrote you. We stopped mailing them after the first few bounced back but we never stopped writing.”

Steve watched as Tony’s eyes welled up with tears as he flipped through two years of birthday and Christmas cards. A congratulations on his graduation and a condolence card for the death of his parents. There were a whole bunch of other letters throw in to the mix.

Tony gave her a second hug burying his head in her small shoulders as the tears started escaping. “This means a lot to me.”

“You mean a lot to us,” she wiped her own eyes before turning to Steve. He knew she wouldn’t ask about why Tony had left. She respected their privacy too much but he could see the curiosity brimming in her eyes. “Are you driving him home?” She turned back to Tony who was clutching the cards to his chest like they were the most precious things he owned. “Do you want to stay the night?”

He shook his head with a polite grin as he swiped at his eyes, “I wouldn’t want to impose and I have work in the morning.”

Steve’s ma nodded tucking her silky blonde hair behind her ear, “next time then.”

Steve looked at Tony who went back to doing the dishes looking right at home. He never wanted him to leave again and he was hoping to drag this art project out as long as possible. As long as it took to convince Tony to stay. Hope and want bloomed in Steve’s chest settling under his rib cage and winding up his spine. “I’ll grab my jacket, then we can leave.”


	3. Tony

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author’s Note: So there were a lot of liberties taken with this chapter.  
> First, the 12.6 mile drive they take to Coney Island is currently the fastest way to get there due to a road closure of the Prospect Expressway which would be a 9.3 mile drive but I ignored that.  
> Secondly, the wave benches are a real thing and I absolutely adore them. But they are on Steeplechase Pier which is a solid fifteen minute stroll (Google says nine but Google walks faster than me) from where Steve parked his bike and I really didn’t want to come up with fifteen minutes worth of filler dialogue.  
> Other than that everything is pretty on point. I haven’t been to New York in about a year and I always take the subway there so I relied on five year old google maps data for this chapter. I’m sorry if the information is wrong, I truly hope I don’t offend any New Yorkers.

Tony stood on Steve’s front porch looking up at the wide expanse of sky stretched above him. The pollution was too thick and heavy to actually see any stars but he liked to make wishes on airplanes and pretend. He tried to ignore the fact that chemtrails were killing the environment. He wished on an airplane that he could get the repulsor technology to combat that.

Tony carefully tucked the letters Sarah had given him into the inside pocket of his jacket before buttoning it up and warding off a shiver. He enjoyed the hard press of the cardstock against his chest reminding him of the second family he had.

When he had left for MIT he didn’t think about how his Houdini act would affect Joseph and Sarah , who had practically raised Tony for the three years he’d been Steve’s best friend. He closely held fond memories of Sarah teaching him how to do laundry and Joseph helping him with his first shave. They were more his parents than the then absentee Maria and Howard ever could be. They were all so close he was surprised Steve hadn’t mentioned Tony’s crush as the reason their friendship had ended.

Steve stepped out of the house wearing the same black jeans and light grey button down as before with a brown leather jacket thrown on top. Tony had to keep himself from swooning for the fourth time that night. It was crazy to think that the small starving artist that Tony had befriended sophomore year was this tall blond hunk of prime American beef in front of him. Desire pooled in his hips arcing down his thighs and lacing up his waist as he turned away from Steve to look out at the street.

The entire night he had to keep himself from drowning in Steve’s gorgeous azure eyes. It was easy to read the blond because he conveyed all his emotions through his gaze. It was one of the reasons Tony had fallen in love with him. They were beautiful whirlpools of feeling and it didn’t take a genius to figure out that he was falling again and harder. Or maybe he hadn’t ever stopped. He tried so hard to distance himself and resist it. He couldn’t lose his friend again. Not his family when he had just gotten them back. 

He looked at his toes to hide his blush as Steve led him down the porch steps and to his bike parked on the curb. It was a real beauty, Tony had to admit like a proud parent. Steve had scraped together enough money to buy it selling paintings his junior year and they had worked on it together the following summer to restore it to working condition.

Steve paused before handing Tony his helmet. “Do you mind if we stop by one of the locations I have picked out before I take you home? It won’t take long, I promise.”

“Not like I have a curfew,” Tony murmured as Steve passed him the helmet and he slid it on. Tony was still tentative to press himself up against Steve’s back especially after the embarrassingly ill timed boner he had gotten as a result of the last ride.

Like before though Steve caught his arms in a firm grip pulling him up against his back. He was warm so Tony had no qualms against pressing his face between Steve’s shoulder blades and inhaling the scent of warm leather and soap.

Steve pulled away from the curb and Tony clung to him tighter. Steve’s larger frame protected him from the harsh wind as Tony looked up at the sky , watching the moon wink at them from behind sporadic dark clouds. Tony was pretty sure they were going to Coney Island like so many times during high school. It was a twenty minute drive from Steve’s place at this time of night. Tony didn’t say anything as Steve took the long way driving right past Exit 24 and following the signs for Queens.

There was a time where all he wanted to do was ride around on the back of Steve’s gorgeous, sleek motorcycle. A small, okay more like large, part of him still enjoyed the smell of gasoline and Steve as they drove around so he indulged himself as Steve took the longer route. 

The ride was over too soon as Steve pulled up on 10th finding a place to park. There was a fair amount of people milling around as the sun had yet to set. Steve led them to Riegelmann Boardwalk finding the wood benches curved in delicate waves. Tony felt his smile growing on his face as he sat down, leaning back until his back was arched around the slope 

“This is where I was thinking we paint the first picture. I’m going to ink the base of the scene in thick black lines and then watercolour it.” Tony watched an upside down Steve wring his hands nervously. “What do you think?”

As little time together as possible, Tony reminded himself as he looked up at the darkening sky. He couldn’t get too attached, this would be over by the end of the week. The sun was beginning to dip low on the horizon as he told himself that the less time he spent with Steve the less time he’d have to slip up and freak Steve out again. He almost wanted to cry. “As long as you can finish it between three and seven it’s fine with me.”

“Yeah sure, I can make it quick and finish the finer details at home.” Steve sat beside him copying his position and turning his head so that they were face to face. “Traffic is going to be a nightmare tomorrow afternoon so is it okay if I swing by your apartment and pick you up at 2:30?”

“Okay,” Tony wouldn’t have to talk to Steve while they were driving there so there was no reason to say no. Besides, traffic was an excuse for extra time he could spend pressed up against Steve wishing the artist would love him back.

It occurred to Tony then that the last time he had been here he hadn’t realized that he wouldn’t be back in so long. He briefly wondered if this was the last time that they would be here together. If he and his massive crush would finally screw up their friendship so bad that Steve never wanted to talk to him. He sat up abruptly his heart aching in his chest at the thought. He suddenly didn’t know how he was able to go to college and spend two years without his best friend. The thought of leaving Steve again was an excruciating one.

Steve followed with a frown on his face his hand hovering over Tony’s shoulder but not touching him. “Is everything okay?”

He scrubbed a hand down his face refusing to let out the frustrated groan that was threatening to escape. He stood dusting off his suit jacket and heading back to the street. Steve followed him silently though Tony could sense the confusion and frustration pouring off the artist in waves.

They walked in silence as Tony made his way to Coney’s Cones on the boardwalk and ordered two scoops. Coffee for him and vanilla for Steve. Back in high school they always ordered a double scoop and split a waffle bowl to save money. Instead of the usual, Tony ordered two separate kiddie scoops in sugar cones slapping down a ten and telling the cashier to keep the change.

The took both their cones to Luna Park watching as a couple of kids ran around the nearly empty area. It was too early in the summer for many kids to be out. School hadn’t even finished up for the season.

Tony sat on a pink painted bench crossing his legs underneath him even though he knew the suit made the action look ridiculous. Steve took a tentative seat beside him his eyes questioning.

“Thank you for the ice cream,” Steve said , clearly trying to start a conversation. “We could have totally split one though.”

Tony shrugged as he tried desperately to ignore Steve mouthing at his vanilla ice cream like it was a cock. Maybe individual scoops hasn’t been his best idea but at the time not having to face Steve over a waffle bowl seemed like a good option.

Tony licked coffee ice cream dripping down his hand and caught Steve judgmentally staring at him. He raised an eyebrow and Steve blushed looking away as they both finished off their scoops. Tony rinsed his hands off in a nearby water fountain carelessly drying them off on his slacks.

“Do you want to catch a ride on the Cyclone before we go?” Steve had his hands shoved deep into his pockets and he was toeing at the pavement with his shoe in an adorably bashful manner, clearly bracing for rejection.

“Yeah sure,” Tony shrugged heading to the ticket counter and passing the teen boy manning the register a twenty. “Can we get two tickets for the Cyclone?”

“Really?” Steve trailed after him dazed watching as Tony received both their tickets and headed around the yellow metal fence to the ride entrance. 

There were a couple of other kids waiting in line but somehow Tony and Steve managed to get seats at the front of the roller coaster. Tony watched Steve eye the roller coaster suspiciously as he climbed on. Tony remembered the first time they rode the roller coaster and Steve had lost his lunch right after. Every time after that Steve was always worried he wouldn’t be able to keep from dry heaving after the ride. It had been at least an hour since they’d eaten so Tony wasn’t entirely worried about Steve. He was more worried that he’d slip up about his lingering crush on his ex- best friend.

“Sorry,” Steve whispered as his fingers curled around Tony’s. They always held hands on the Cyclone. It calmed Steve’s nerves when he was little and hyperventilating.

Steve initiated the contact , so Tony was happy to revel in it while it lasted. He wondered briefly why Steve would suggest this ride considering he didn’t particularly enjoy it.

The ride started with rocky clacks of the metal against wood. There were a million and one ways Tony could improve on the design for a smoother ride that didn’t cost him brain cells but there was something comforting in the flaws. He loved the Cyclone not in spite of its clear imperfections but because they made the roller coaster what it is. He couldn’t imagine not smacking his shoulder against the side of the cart on every turn and occasionally knocking his head against Steve’s as they jerked across the tracks.

Tony lost himself in the sound of children’s laughter and thrilled, delighted screams as they crested another side and down.

When the ride was over Steve didn’t even look like he felt the need to dry heave. Tony watched his face for any discomfort but it didn’t seem that he was feeling sick and that was a welcome change. Maybe his beefier body had come with a stronger stomach too.

It was nearing ten and while Tony didn’t have parents to enforce a curfew , he remembered that Steve did so they headed back to his bike for the drive to Manhattan.

Steve dropped him off at the cafe by his parked car and Tony was slower this time in getting off , reluctant to let the night end. He wanted to stretch this moment into a thousand and stay in this sweet companionship they had. In this moment before he inevitably ruined everything.

Tony handed Steve his helmet running his fingers through his hair to try and calm the wild mess. He tilted his head to look up at the warm summer sky. A plane streaked across the skyline like a dying star through melted honey and Tony closed his eyes wishing he wouldn’t fuck things up again between him and Steve.


	4. Steve

Steve gently slid the glasses off of Tony’s face. “I don’t hate them,” he reminded the brunet before perching the glasses on top of his head so he wouldn’t lose them. He gently tilted Tony’s chin so it appeared not like he was looking at the water but over it, toward new horizons.

He set his camera down on the bench to keep his hands free. He framed the scene with his fingers closing one eye to get a reference. He heard a shutter, Tony taking a Polaroid of him, before peeking up at him adorably over the camera. Tony kept it warm between his hands so it would develop properly before setting it face down on the bench beside the camera so the evening sunlight wouldn’t damage it.

He side eyed Steve before settling into the position and crossing his legs adorably at the ankles. Steve moved his fingers so they were interlocked between his knees bracing himself against the bench. Tony was wearing his leather cord friendship bracelet and Steve couldn’t resist running his finger down the knot at the inside of Tony’s wrist. He felt a warm bout of possession thrum in his chest, his heartbeat confined by the bars of his rib cage. 

Tony looked absolutely edible wearing dark acid wash jeans rolled up around his ankles and a plain white t-shirt. It was chilly out on the water so Steve had stolen one of his mom’s blankets out of the linen closet and swaddled Tony with it so it simultaneously kept him warm and looked like a red checkered cape pooling delicately behind him. 

Satisfied with the scene, Steve got behind his canvas sketching out the preliminary lines in a dark pencil as he adjusted the perspective and peeked at Tony over the easel.

Tony had driven them both here so Steve didn’t have to wrestle with an easel on his bike or the subway. The car was surprisingly more intimate than the bike and Steve found himself studying the many expressions playing across Tony’s face as he navigated the crowded afternoon streets.

Steve tucked his brush behind his ear stepping forward to fix a chocolate curl that was flopping into Tony’s eyes. He gently brushed his fingers through the brunet’s hair before adjusting the placement of the blanket behind him so it rumpled a little more and provided a shivering Tony with more warmth. Steve laid a hand across Tony’s thighs and found startled brown eyes immediately snapping to his. He gently moved Tony so he was sitting more outward with his legs spread wider so he didn’t have to put much weight onto his locked elbows. It wasn’t a big change but it gave Steve an excuse to touch him.

He returned to his canvas hurriedly inking in the lines and layering over the rough sketch. Traffic had led them to waste an hour despite them having left Steve’s apartment at 2:30. While it was out of his control, Steve refused to keep Tony longer than promised.

“Do you have any water in that bag of yours?” Tony asked shifting his weight slightly and drawing Steve’s attention away from the canvas where he was paying heed to the delicate V of Tony’s spread legs.

“I have soda,” Steve bent down digging into his backpack for the green glass bottle of Coca-Cola he’d brought as a prop and promptly forgotten. He used his shirt to twist off the cap before handing it to Tony.

“Thanks,” Tony was careful not to move too much which Steve appreciated though it didn’t really matter to him.

He couldn’t tear his eyes from Tony’s throat bobbing as he swallowed down a quarter of the bottle in one go. He handed Steve the rest wiping his mouth with the back of his hands. His lips were pink as he smiled at Steve placing his hands exactly where they were before, his back arching perfectly into the pose.

“No problem,” Steve took a couple of sips tasting Tony’s coconut chapstick on the lip of the bottle. He set it beside his muse before rounding the easel and comparing the scene before him to the painting.

“I hope this is the same as before.” Tony called tipping his chin up.

It was amazing how perfectly he had mimicked the pose , falling into it exactly as Steve compared it to the dark ink of the preliminary lines and the rough edges of the underlying sketch. When Tony had proclaimed  his thirst he had just started the watercolours.

Technically he could draw Tony from memory. Two years of missing him meant sketchbooks filled with the guilt of broken promises. The intelligent glint of his whiskey  coloured eyes, always teasing Steve on paper. The bow of his perfect lips, accompanied by the memory of their sweet taste. The curve of his hip where Steve’s thumb fit perfectly. 

He was honestly capable of painting this scene from memory in the comfort of his home. He didn’t need to see Tony to remember exactly the soft swoop of his hair and his flirty smile. But as long as Tony didn’t know that , he would keep accompanying Steve to beautiful places to help him with his paintings and Steve never wanted him to stop.

“Very close,” Steve said running with the excuse to have his hands on the sharp jut of Tony’s jaw he tilted it down just a fraction of an inch. Tony raised an eyebrow clearly feeling the difference but not saying anything about it as Steve shifted his hands slightly.

Tony’s fingers were freezing under his so he took a second to rub Tony’s considerably smaller hands, calloused and scarred from years of work, between his to warm them up.

“You’re like a space heater you know that?” Tony rubbed his newly warmed hands up and down his arms drawing the blanket tighter around himself.

Steve smiled in response as he headed back to the canvas dipping his pen into black paint and then white for the rolled cuff of Tony’s jeans. Like the conductor of a sleepy orchestra he dragged his arm up and down the canvas blending blues, oranges, and purples together in the setting sun. Of course the beauty of the sunset was nothing compared to the man watching it , looking so hopeful on canvas that the emotion was tangible in the delicate curve of his pink painted lips.

Steve washed the paint off his pen before mixing together a nice light brown for Tony’s exotically tanned Italian skin. He started with the erotic curve of his throat before colouring the sharp jut of his jawline. The small strip of skin above where Tony’s jeans dipped low on his hips was next.

Steve was just finishing the dainty skin of Tony’s ankles when a voice startled him out of his focus.

“Oh my god, that’s such a good painting,” a girl, Jersey accent heavy enough to rival that one girl on that show Tony liked to make fun of, with artificially tanned skin was standing behind Steve. She gesticulated wildly her hands flailing around in excitement. “He’s beautiful! Is he your boyfriend?”

Steve nearly choked on thin air as Tony sputtered from where he was sitting on the bench.

“No , we’re not together,” Steve managed to respond as he coughed uncomfortably. His palms were getting sweaty and he had to set down the watercolour pen as he took deep steadying breaths.

“So then you’re available?” She turned to Tony her face brightening as she flashed him a wide smile. 

“I’m sorry,” Tony grinned lazily back at her tilting his head in a way that reminded Steve of a puppy dog. She ran her fingers through his hair mussing it up and tilting his head back to look at her. Steve’s fingers itched to go over there and forcibly remove her hands from his best friend’s hair. Tony laughed “you’re not my type.”

“Let me guess,” she twirled a lock of bleach blonde hair around her finger, blue eyes laughing. Steve thought she could be beautiful if she wasn’t invading Tony’s personal space. “Your type is tall, blonde, and beefy?”

Steve blushed as she eyed him before licking her lips stepping back from Tony who also had pink crawling up his neck as he looked down at his sneakers as if they were the most interesting thing in the world. 

“Well handsome , if I can’t have you, can I at least have the painting?” She dug into her pocket producing a blue leather wallet that looked well worn. She fished out a handful of twenties out holding it out to Steve, “that’s five hundred, are you almost done with it?”


	5. Tony

“Even if you don’t win the competition this is a great start to getting your studio,” Tony was saying as they pushed through the front door of Steve’s house. “We should go out for celebratory drinks, I’ll buy.”

The words were out before he could stop them and he had to refrain from cringing. He didn’t mean to ask Steve out on what sounded suspiciously like a date, the words just slipped out, he hoped they wouldn’t be taken the wrong way. 

“What are we celebrating?” Sarah asked saving Tony as she emerged from the kitchen drying her hands on her green apron. Tony tried to stifle a laugh as he read “Kiss me I’m Irish” printed across the fabric in cursive gold. Her blonde hair was falling out of it’s bun and she tucked it behind her ear as she followed the boys back into the kitchen.

“Steve just sold a painting to a tourist on Riegelmann for five hundred in cash.” Tony exclaimed excitedly as he tossed his keys on the kitchen counter.

“That’s amazing boys,” Sarah dropped a kiss on Tony’s head before turning to Steve who had to bend down to accept his. Tony got a polaroid of the cute mother son moment. He chuckled prompting a blush to spread across Steve’s face. “I’m so incredibly proud of both of you.”

He stuck the image on the fridge to wait the ten minutes it needed to develop before setting the camera down on the counter beside his keys. He turned leaning against it as he faced the artist, “Mom is proud Steve, we need to celebrate.”

“If you’re going to drink, please do it in the house,” Sarah said passing Tony an unopened bottle of Jameson before digging into the cabinets for glasses.

“And share,” Joseph added as he came in through the bedroom door. “Congratulations bud,” he dropped a kiss on Steve’s head ruffling his hair before coming toward Tony and hugging him tightly “and Steve couldn’t have done it without you, son.”

Sarah set four glasses on the counter as Tony pulled off the cap and poured each of them two generous fingers of the amber liquid. He heard a camera shutter as Steve took a photo.

They all clinked their glasses together before throwing it back. Tony savoured the warm burn as the amber liquid slid down his throat, settling comfortably in his chest. He set his glass down on the counter and Joseph poured everyone another round.

Sarah grabbed Tony’s keys off the counter stuffing them into her pocket as she headed to the refrigerator, “if you’re drinking, you’re staying the night.” She pulled the door open searching out two canisters of Pillsbury croissants, “I hope you boys are ready to work for your dinner.”

Tony hadn’t made a croissant pizza since the last time he was at Steve’s house. They arranged the dough triangles into a star shape slathering them in pizza sauce and pepperoni. Then they rolled the croissants into an annulus, sprinkling the divine creation with cheese.

He enjoyed the strange domesticity that accompanied making dinner with Steve. It was nothing like at home where he would order takeout from whatever restaurant was open at the time with the fastest delivery. And even that was only if he managed to make it out of the lab and remember to eat a proper meal instead of just coffee.

After they stuck the pizza into the oven Tony called first shower making it the fastest of his life as his stomach growled at the thought of the buttery cheese topped croissants filled with the gooey pizza goodness. He could feel his mouth watering already as hunger settled low in his belly, sluicing over his canines.

He emerged from the bathroom with a towel wrapped around his waist. He probably should have asked to borrow clothes from Steve first but whatever, it wasn’t like Steve hadn’t seen him in less.

He knocked and without waiting for a reply he pushed Steve’s bedroom door open. The blond was sitting at his desk sketching. The moment he saw Tony he snapped the book shut tossing it on the bed out of reach. “Hey , you want clothes?” 

“That would be nice,” Tony responded a shiver crawling up his spine as water dripped off his hair and onto his shoulders. “Do you still have any clothes from back when you were smaller?”

Steve nodded throwing Tony a pair of boxers from a dresser drawer, they were dark red with green dinosaurs because Steve was actually five at heart. Tony waited until Steve’s back was turned and he was digging into the depths of his closet before pulling the boxers up his legs and tossing the towel over the back of Steve’s desk chair. Steve emerged from the closet with a pair of black joggers and a dark blue t-shirt that Tony recognized as his own. Tony pulled them on, the sweatpants were a little big but it was nothing that couldn’t be fixed by rolling the fabric.

“So I think I’m going to need an extra day to finish up these paintings,” Steve was rubbing the back of his neck as he tried to give Tony privacy as he changed. He was switching out the water in his pens and mixing new colours for tomorrow.

“Sure,” Tony slid his arms through the sleeves of his shirt. It smelled like Steve which was a little bit ridiculous because there was no way the beefcake could have squeezed himself into the article. “I don’t mind clearing my Friday.” Honestly, he had nothing planned Friday night anyway. He was sure his date with his lab could be postponed.

The ding of the oven had both of their heads shooting up. They followed the delicious aroma of pizza and croissants to where Sarah was cutting the ring into quarters before plating everything and bringing it over to the table. Tony poured himself another serving of whiskey feeling his brain mellow out as he threw it back.

The food looked amazing in front of him and Tony released a feral groan on the first bite as the delicious taste exploded across his tongue, arcing over his taste buds. It was too hot, melted cheese burning the roof of his mouth, but the clash of butter and bread was worth the slight stabbing pain. 

“Don’t seduce your dinner at the table, dear,” Sarah joked as she slid a forkful of the heaven into her own mouth.

Tony watched out of the corner of his eye as Steve took his own bite before squeezing his eyes shut with a light and breathy moan. Tony watched as his throat bobbed before his pink tongue farted out to wet his lips. It would be funny if it wasn’t getting Tony a wee bit hot and bothered. He tugged at the collar of his shirt before shoving another forkful of pizza into his mouth.

The food was gone in a matter of minutes and they all sat around the table with satisfied bellies. Their plates were piled neatly in the sink. They had put the alcohol away and Tony was grateful, he liked the buzz but he couldn’t risk a loose tongue around Steve.

Sarah glanced at her watch, “I have work in the morning so we’re heading to bed.” She and Joseph stood dropping kisses on Tony and Steve’s heads before padding out of the room and down the hall together. “We love you both,” she called as the door shut behind them with a delicate click.

“You want to watch a movie?” Steve offered as he led Tony to his room, he had a tentative smile on his face as he pushed open his door, “I have Netflix on my laptop, you can pick.”

“Those are magical words,” Tony said as Steve shut the door behind them, kicking one of his sketchbooks under the double bed as they both settled on it. Steve grabbed his laptop off his desk and leaned against the wall the bed was pushed up against. Tony followed suit resisting the desire to just settle against the beefcake’s chest, “can we watch Mean Girls?”

“When I said you could pick, I didn’t think you’d choose a movie targeted at petty teenagers,” Steve replied teasingly, tossing the blanket over their legs before setting down the laptop between them and cuing up the movie.

Tony pouted, his bottom lip sticking out in a way that he knew Steve found adorable. “Boo you whore.”

He settled against Steve in amicable silence, their shoulders brushing as they laughed together. Halfway through Regina George’s Kalteen bar diet Tony felt his eyes drooping and he was asleep before Rachel McAdams could give Cady the boot. 


	6. Steve

Steve’s eyes fluttered open and he squinted at the bright light slashing through the cracks in the blinds. Sometime during the night he and Tony has shifted positions and he was crowding the smaller man against the wall.

Steve’s arm was trapped underneath Tony’s body as he spooned him. Their legs were tangled together and Steve could feel the soft material of Tony’s socks against his shins. Steve tried to pull away sliding his arm halfway out from beneath his best friend.

This prompted Tony to let out a slight groan in his sleep moving back into the warmth of Steve molding them together from shoulder to knee. Steve could feel the steady thump of Tony’s heart against his chest and he so desperately wanted to relax into it. Steve was painfully aware of his morning wood pressed into the firm cheeks of Tony’s round ass. He tilted his head forward into Tony’s neck , his cock growing impossibly harder as he breathed in the sweet aroma of Tony coupled with the lingering scent of alcohol on his skin. He wanted to move backwards but he didn’t want to risk them both falling off the bed. Tony would certainly discover his awkward boner then. Guilty desire settled in his thighs threading up his hips and criss-crossing across his pelvis.

With a delicate but firm push, Steve managed to wiggle his arm out from under Tony and rolled off the bed to head to the bathroom to brush his teeth. He looked down at himself opting to go for a quick shower so he could take care of Steve Junior.

When he stepped out he felt refreshed cold droplets still clinging to his skin as he re-entered his room to grab a change of clothes. Tony was still fast asleep in his bed his dark brown hair spread over Steve’s pillow and his lips slightly parted. In the twenty minutes that Steve had gone, he had rolled over on his front into the warm spot Steve had left behind. He looked a lot happier in sleep with his face mashed into the pillow. Probably having a good dream.

“I love you,” Steve whispered to Tony’s sleeping form, resisting the urge to do something stupid like run his fingers through his hair, or drop a kiss on his nose, or worse, wake him up with his mouth around him. 

He slid the blinds open allowing warm light to spill into the room casting a delicate hue around. A halo of yellow morning sunlight settled around Tony as Steve grabbed his camera off the bedside table. He adjusted the exposure raising the lenses to his face so he could focus in on his best friend.

Steve angled his shoulders to keep the sun off the developing photo. It was gorgeous and he could tell it was going to be his favourite. It was the perfect mix of cute and erotic. The sheets were pooled low around Tony’s hips and his shirt has rucked up around his waist exposing the tan expanse of his dimpled lower back. Tony had one arm under his head, his hand hanging off the bed. The leather cord of his friendship bracelet highlighted the delicate jut of his wrist and Steve resisted the urge to kiss his fingers as a wave of possessiveness rushed through his stomach. Steve’s favourite of Tony’s features were his long lashes fanning across his regally high cheekbones as he slept. He set the printed Polaroid on his desk.

Steve crossed the room before he could do something ridiculous like wake Tony up and tell him how much he loved and needed him. He pulled the door open, heading down the hall to the kitchen to get started on breakfast.

His mom was already stirring the batter for gluten free waffles when Steve arrived. He gave her a hug before opening the fridge and pulling out the milk. He poured himself a glass, downing it before setting the empty cup on the counter to set the table for two.

Steve had just finished setting down the forks when his ma dropped a kiss on his cheek ruffling his hair. She handed him the finished batter. “Joseph left for work earlier so you two have a run of the house. Don’t burn it down.” She tossed him a wave over her shoulder accompanied by a “have a good day,” before shutting the front door behind her.

Steve had texted Pepper the night before and she had cancelled all of Tony’s meetings so the businessman was free all day. Steve figured he’d still want to get work done because even though he avoided paperwork like the plague, he was a workaholic and could spend days in his workshop without ever coming up for fresh air.

Despite having not been in Tony’s lab in so long, he could still draw it from memory. But Tony had moved and Steve had a strong desire to see how his new workspace at his apartment differed from his old workshop at the Stark mansion. All Steve had to do was convince Tony to take him there.

Steve poured some batter into the waffle molds before pressing them down. Some of the thick liquid oozed out of the sides but Steve paid it no heed absentmindedly wiping it away with a paper towel. He’d finished the first couple of waffles when Tony wandered into the kitchen following his nose. He made a beeline for the ancient percolator in the corner , pouting cutely when he found the carafe empty.  Tony set to work making his own coffee and Steve watched in mild amusement as he did it completely wrong.

“Tony,” the brunet looked up, startled brown eyes half lidded in exhaustion. Steve led him to the table, afraid he’d collapse, forcing him into a seat, “you sit, I’ll get you coffee.” Tony nodded his assent and Steve turned back to the kitchen.

Steve finished making breakfast in ten minutes only to find Tony had fallen back asleep on the table. He was drooling into the placemat his brows relaxed of all tension. Steve gently set a hand on his shoulder and he was awake almost instantly, his eyes fluttering open as he sniffed the air for his morning coffee.

Steve chuckled setting the mug in front of him along with a nice plate of gluten free waffles drenched in raspberry syrup and sprinkled with powdered sugar. Tony grinned at his plate as he picked up the fork and knife beside the placemat. Tony cut himself a large piece shoving it straight in his mouth and letting out a satisfied moan that resonated deep within Steve.

He blinked a couple of times as he chewed before swallowing, “these are the best waffles I’ve ever had in my entire life.” He cut himself another piece, “remind me to buy out Torani so I can get an unending supply of raspberry syrup to last me the rest of my days.”

Steve laughed setting his own plate down across from Tony before dropping into the seat. Steve found it was a lot more intimate sitting across from him than beside him. Their feet brushed under the table and he quite liked the soft pressure of Tony’s smaller feet in socks across the tops of his toes.

“I got Miss Potts to cancel all your meetings so I was wondering,” Steve hooked his foot around Tony’s ankle to get his attention. “Is it okay if I tag along with you to your apartment?”

“You canceled my meetings?” Tony’s eyes met his over a sip of his coffee. Before setting the mug down. “I don’t know how you bribed Pepper but I can finally get some time in the workshop done.”

Steve leaned forward as Tony set his mug down. “I promise I’ll stay out of your hair, you won’t even know I’m there.”

Tony shrugged before taking his empty mug to the sink. “sure, do you know where mom put my keys?”


	7. Tony

“This is my lab,” Tony swept his arms out in a wide arc turning in a circle to encompass the area, “where all the magic happens.”

He stepped over a pet project kicking aside a heap of scrap metal as he walked. Dummy beeped excitedly rolling around a workbench to snap his claw at Steve.

“When you said you had an apartment in New York, I didn’t think you meant a full building.” Steve followed him through the workshop taking care to step where Tony did to avoid disturbing any of his things. He was stopped as Dummy caught a clawful of his sweater beeping.

“Yeah, the MetLife building, bought it last month,” Tony turned to see what was keeping Steve before letting out a dismayed squeak, “Dummy, get your filthy hands off of Steve.” When the robot refused to relinquish it’s grip Tony shot it a withering glare, “I will not hesitate to donate you to the community college.”

“It’s really no trou-” Tony ignored Steve as he glared at his buggy machine.

The robot immediately released the blond letting out a series of low, disappointed tones as he wheeled away. His support strut knocked into a table as he tried to beat a hasty retreat towards his charging station.

Tony sighed running his fingers through his hair. Steve had an oily mark stained into his sweatshirt. “Let me throw that into the laundry.”

The moment Steve took off the blackened material Tony wished he hadn’t offered to wash off Dummy’s enthusiasm. Steve was wearing a plain grey t-shirt underneath that was two sizes too small and displayed the hard work baseball had payed off on Steve’s body.

“Thanks,” Steve handed him the wool and he tossed it into the washer dryer system he had built into the lab for accidents like these.

“Cycle it through J,” Tony twirled his finger beside his head turning around to face an adorably confused Steve. “Sorry, should have introduced you guys.” He made another wide gesture, “Steve meet Jarvis my personal AI,” he pointed at Steve, “J this is Steven Grant Rogers my friend from high school.”

“Background check cleared,” the AI helpfully added, “this is Steve, the starving artist?”

“Mute,” Tony caught the blush rising to Steve’s face and he was sure he had one to match. “Sorry about him, he gets carried away.”

“This is very cool Tony,” Steve’s blue eyes were sincere as he glanced around looking at everything. Tony thought he would look out of place in the workshop but his relaxed shoulders and wide smile said otherwise.

“Thanks,” he lead Steve to a plush blue couch in the corner of his workshop. There was a grey blanket thrown over it and a well worn green pillow tucked into the corner. “This is your workspace for the day, holler if you need me.”

Tony watched as Steve dropped his backpack on the floor beside the couch. He’d elected to leave his easel in the boot of Tony’s car but he pulled a sketchbook from the depths of his bag. Tony recognized it as the one he’d kicked under his bed last night and he had a strange desire to discover what secrets lay within it.

He shook his head moving around the workbench to where his latest pet project lay. An arc reactor, there was a giant one in the basement powering the building, Tony was working on making it smaller to power other things , like the newest line of Stark products that he planned on releasing in three months, phones and tablets to revolutionize the technology field.  

Tony soon got distracted with trying to come up with a solution to the Palladium core. He was far from close to finding a fix short of creating his own element which was absolutely ridiculous. He set his work gloves on the table before picking up the new model Stark Phone, it was sleek glass that still needed to be plugged into a wall to charge because Tony couldn’t for the life of him figure out how to stick his clean energy tech in there. He probably just needed a good nap but Steve was holed up in his favourite siesta spot.

Speaking of, Tony’s head shot up to find Steve’s eyes on him. The blond blushed before looking back down as his paper. He had his pencil out but he was biting on the tip of the eraser instead of sketching. Tony tried to ignore the butterflies he felt when Steve licked his lips before flipping a page in his book and putting the pencil to paper.

There was a stack of papers piled onto the end of the workbench. A neon note from Pepper was stuck to the top pleading with him to sign the paperwork in order to finalize some last minute plans for the company finances. Tony picked up the folders heading to the couch to use them as an excuse to sit beside Steve and hopefully hijack some of his warmth. He toed off his shoes bringing his feet up toward his body, a shiver running down his spine.

Steve immediately picked up on it tossing the grey throw over his shoulders. Tony started skimming the paperwork signing on dotted lines that Pepper had indicated with bright red arrow tabs. Under the blanket Steve’s toes found his and Tony was instantly warmer as he scrawled his signature across a couple of energy contracts. He could hear the shutter of Steve’s polaroid camera as he took another photo.

“Can I paint you down here?” Steve sounded hesitant but Tony only shrugged , nodding to where he’d dropped his keys on the workbench.

“Jarvis can take you to the garage to grab your stuff.” He tilted his head up to look at the ceiling. “Make sure he gets back in one piece.”

Tony followed him with his eyes as he dropped his sketchbook onto the side table and grabbed his keys off the workbench. Tony found himself on the receiving end of one of Steve’s wide grins as the blond exited the workshop and the cocoon of Metallica that Tony hadn’t realized was playing.

Tony eyed the sketchbook on the table trying to resist the urge to flip through it. He wondered what Steve was trying to hide. His fingers itched across the worn cover before he steeled himself heading back to the work bench to see if he could make any advancements in clean energy before Steve got back. Highly unlikely.

It unfortunately wasn’t that simple and by the time the glass door reopened to admit Steve in, Tony was hanging upside down from the workbench dropping wrenches and watching in amusement as they clattered to the floor. Steve didn’t hesitate to grab his camera off the side table and snap a picture as Tony dropped another wrench enjoying the satisfying clang of the metal on the concrete floor.

“Do you need any help?” Steve set down his easel by the couch before bending down at the workbench to help Tony sit up. He felt the blood rushing from his head back down his body and he was wobbly as he sat up.

Steve threw a leg over the bench so he was straddling it. Tony was doing the same thing but he couldn’t help admiring the way Steve’s strong thighs looked around the metal. He swallowed slowly before looking up and meeting Steve’s eyes. “Where do you want me to sit?” 

“Right here is fine,” Steve handed Tony the Polaroid camera and draped the checkered blanket over him when goosebumps rose on his arms. Tony couldn’t help but lean in as Steve pulled the blanket tighter around his shoulders running his hands down his shoulders. He propped one of Tony’s arms on the table so it wouldn’t get tired. “Pretend like you’re adjusting the settings.”

Tony tried to duck his head but Steve immediately caught his chin and he forced his eyes back up to sink into his azure pools. “I’m taking the glasses.”

“They look better on you anyway blondie,” Tony laughed. It wasn’t even a lie. Steve looked like a very sexy nerd painter when he wore Tony’s glasses on his head. He pulled the camera up to his face snapping a picture of Steve before moving back into position.

Steve did the adorable framing with his fingers thing before getting back behind the easel to work his magic. He found the scrape of the pencil against the canvas a soothing sound as his eyes strayed from the camera in front of him to the other side of the room where Steve’s sketchbook lay untouched. He was still dying to know what was inside. Did Steve draw flowers? Landscapes? Porn? Tony chuckled to himself trying to imagine Mr. All American Prude bashfully drawing filthy pictures in his sketchbook.

Tony resisted the urge to jiggle his knee as his eyes slid across his table. The wrenches that weren’t on the floor were arranged on the metal surface in an ellipse. His brain went back to thinking about the arc reactor. It would need to emit no heat at all to avoid exploding phones. Tony tried not to cringe, PR would have his head if he screwed up the heating and cooling.

Tony rolled his neck trying not to shift too much out of position. Steve hadn’t really looked up from his canvas prompting Tony to wonder if Steve really needed him there as a model at all. He sighed bringing the blanket tighter around him as he settled his gaze back on the camera.

Steve’s thumb had worn into the adjusting dials, Tony could trace his fingerprint on the capture button. He remembered when Steve had bought the camera during their senior year of high school. They had passed by a garage sale where it was sitting, apparently the previous owners had bought it and never used it. Steve had instantly fallen in love with the leather strap and the idea of a vintage method of taking photos. Personally, Tony had never seen the appeal in them until this past week. He thought it was kind of ridiculous to have only one copy of a picture when you could keep multiple copies and share them on your phone. Steve had been waiting on a paycheck from the cafe at the time so Tony bought it for him and then never accepted the money when Steve tried to pay him back.

Tony smiled at the memory of the first Polaroid Steve had taken using his new camera. He had just figured out the settings to take a photograph. Tony had patiently sat with him as he loaded the film into the camera and set up everything. They had been sitting in Union Square Park and Steve had plucked an honest to god yellow weed from the grass and stuck it behind Tony’s ear before snapping the picture. The Polaroid had come out perfect, though a little overexposed, Steve had made sure the sunlight didn’t damage the development. The yellow of the weed was a stark contrast to Tony’s dark hair and he had seen the photo on Monday night, still stuck to the Roger’s fridge with the date printed underneath in Steve’s neat script.

“I finished inking the preliminary lines,” Steve piped up from behind the canvas, “you can rest your arms now, might want to roll your neck so it doesn’t get caught.”

“Too late,” Tony muttered as a sharp pain shot through his shoulder ending at the base of his skull as he turned his head. He rubbed at the spot but the throb would not go away. He guessed helping Steve was worth it but that didn’t mean he had to like it.

“Where does it hurt?” Steve rounded the easel coming up behind Tony and settling his hands on his shoulders. He dug his fingers into the base of Tony’s scalp rubbing out the abused muscles. Tony had to resist letting out a satiated mewl as Steve massaged his neck. “Let me get that for you.”

His thin fingers slid into Tony’s hair at the base of his skull kneading the tendons and working out the knots in his muscles. Steve rolled his knuckles across the top of Tony’s spine sending a shiver down the smaller man’s back. “Still cold?”

Tony felt Steve wrap himself around his back allowing the blond to capture his smaller hands in his. Steve was like his own personal space heater. He allowed himself to melt against Steve’s chest reveling in the warm feeling he provided.

“Thanks,” Tony tried not to swoon, because wow Steve’s fingers were a blessing. He rubbed at his neck, it felt brand new and he was warmer than before. “Jarvis, crank up the heat in here.”

“No problem,” Steve headed back to his canvas to start the watercolours. Tony watched as he shook his pen against his arm before dipping it in red paint. “Always let me know if you’re beginning to cramp or a position is giving you pain.”

Tony nodded absentmindedly as he went back to daydreaming about how he would survive the next hour with Steve looking like a Greek God. If Steve’s sweater didn’t come out of the wash soon, Tony was pretty sure he’d actually faint due to the lack of oxygen going to his brain.

Steve finished the watercolour right as the dryer beeped for his sweater. Tony stood up from the bench rolling out his neck and shoulders as he set the camera on the table. He returned to the couch with the artist’s paint-flecked sweater tossing it over the arm of the chair.

“There’s a cute Italian family restaurant down the street, you wanna go for dinner while we wait for your painting to dry?” Tony froze as he realized what had just passed his lips. There was no way he had just asked Steve out to dinner where they would sit and make awkward conversation and Tony would try not to let his feet brush Steve’s under the table in an overly romantic restaurant.

“Yeah sure,” Steve was oblivious to Tony’s inner turmoil as he carefully cleaned his brushes in the workshop sink. “Let me just put these to dry, then we can leave.” He set the brushes with the bristles hanging off the counter edge to air dry before wiping his hands on his dark blue jeans. He pulled the sweater on and Tony couldn’t help but watch his muscles disappear in the soft fabric. 

When they got down to street level Tony led them around the corner to Naples 45, an upscale Italian restaurant, giving the hostess his name and asking for a booth closer to the back. She led them to a secluded booth in the back corner of the restaurant, setting their menus on the wooden table. They slid in on opposite sides and Tony felt Steve’s feet brush his as they settled down. They were just as close as Tony had worried they’d be.

“You want to split a pizza?” Tony asked going for the least romantic option on the menu. Tony loved spaghetti but he definitely wasn’t going to risk a Lady and the Tramp. He briefly wondered if he was capable of pushing a meatball with his nose as he flipped through the pages looking through the sides.

“Okay?” Steve was looking through his menu with his brows creased adorably as he poured over the options, “we can share whatever you want.”

The waitress came over and Tony ordered a soda instead of the house wine like he wanted to. Alcohol would be too romantic, he chastised himself as he looked longingly at the wine list. They were just two bros chilling at an Italian restaurant. Steve wasn’t gay and would never love him. Tony bit his lip to stave off a wave of bitterness as the waitress gathered their menus and headed off to put in their orders.

Tony could see Steve’s effort to make small conversation and while he appreciated it, he was too distracted by his blunt nails digging into his palms, a reminder to not get lost in the deep pools of Steve’s eyes.

Tony looked up at the spotting of lights above his head and wished he were anywhere but looking into those beautiful eyes that he could never have.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this took so long, I'm currently working six days a week and doing college applications at the same time so it takes a lot out of me. I almost have this fic done though, I've already written the ending. Just one more chapter to write and I'll have everything done and posted.


	8. Steve

Steve layed out the large red checkered blanket onto the dewy grass in Union Park. He had a small pillow with him so Tony’s butt didn’t fall asleep while Steve painted him.

After yesterday he could see Tony’s patience with him waning. He was clearly growing more and more uncomfortable as Steve tried to stretch their one project out as long as he could. He was surprisingly quiet at dinner yesterday, he had ordered pizza without wine which was uncharacteristic of him. Even back in high school Tony was always trying to sneak a glass of port or Pinot noir with his dinners.

He patted the cushion and Tony sat down delicately as Steve arranged his legs off to the side so he was sitting more on his hip with some of his weight distributed on to the hand he was forced to put down to support himself. He gave Tony a glass bottle of Coca-Cola and he downed a couple of sips wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. Steve gently pulled his glasses off his face tucking them into his shirt.

“Do you remember this?” Steve grinned as he plucked a dandelion carefully brushing Tony’s chocolate curls out of his face as he slid the stem behind the erotic curve of his ear. Steve handed him the Polaroid camera he’d been taking photos of Tony with earlier positioning it so it looked like he was looking through the lense.

Steve sat in front of his muse with his canvas balanced on his thighs as he leaned back against a tree. He started on the dark pencil outline of Tony’s delicate figure. The strong line of his jaw and the adorable swoop of his bed head. The place above his hip where Steve’s thumb fit perfectly.

He looked up from the canvas at Tony who was shivering, his teeth gently bumping together in a chatter. He set down the painting in the grass pulling off his jacket and draping it around Tony’s shoulders. It looked perfect on him coupled with his sky blue jeans and light grey t-shirt. Steve ran his hands down Tony’s shoulders to warm him up like before.

“I’ll try to be quick so we can get home and warm up,” Steve settled back behind his canvas sketching in the lines for the jacket draped around Tony’s small shoulders.

Tony hummed and shifted minutely on the pillow taking a picture of Steve behind the canvas. He looked at the developing film tucking it under the pillow to keep it out of the sunlight. “Does Joseph still do Jeopardy nights on Thursdays?”

Steve was surprised to hear Tony speak and actually ask a question after his prolonged silence. He finished inking his lines in before blowing on the canvas to dry them. “If you hold still, we’ll be able to get back in time to catch the show.”

Tony didn’t say anything after that and Steve looked at him over his canvas. Tony’s brown eyes were hidden by the camera and Steve resisted the urge to frown at that. He would get his eyes next time. For now, he would tell their story. The blend of brown for his jacket brought Steve the most delight. He realized that he loved seeing Tony wearing his clothes, if it made him slightly possessive of his best friend then so be it.

He dipped his brush pen into the yellow. The first polaroid he had ever taken of Tony had been of the genius in this same park with a dandelion in his hair looking absolutely adorable. It reminded Steve of how they used to be. There was no doubt that they had always loved each other but it was taking this picture during the fall of their senior year of high school that Steve realized he truly loved his pretty little muse fiercely. He had done everything in his power to hide it from Tony, he didn’t want things to change, so afraid that he would leave when he learned of Steve’s affections. It had never occured to Steve that maybe Tony shared the same sentiment and when that became apparent Steve panicked. He would always regret the way he freaked out on Tony.

“It’s done,” Steve set the canvas on the blanket and Tony relaxed his posture picking up the coke bottle and taking a generous swig. “You hungry?” Steve had brought a giant picnic basket with him. His dad had helped him make sandwiches and salads while his mom had tossed in a box of dark chocolate covered strawberries and a couple of wine coolers.

Tony shrugged crossing his legs and stretching out like a cat. He ran his fingers through his hair eyeing the picnic basket in front of Steve curiously. His stomach betrayed him with a loud grumble and he let out a soft chuckle that warmed Steve’s heart. “I could eat.”

“Sweet,” Steve passed Tony a garlic bread grilled cheese sandwich setting out the rest of the food in front of them both.

Tony unwrapped the foil around his sandwich his eyes lighting up, “did dad make this?” It was cut in quarters the way Tony liked it. Back in high school, Steve’s dad would pack Tony sandwiches for lunch when he stayed over on school nights. Tony took a bite letting out a groan, “I love his cooking, he always gets it the right side of crispy.”

Steve laughed opening up a glass tub of Caesar salad before moving to sit beside Tony, their legs brushing against each other. He opened a small pouch of dressing dumping it into the leaves and mixing it in. Steve’s mom made the best salad with parmesan and ranch, the croutons were homemade and the perfect kind of crunchy that Steve loved. He held out the box and a fork to Tony, “you wanna stab it?”

Tony looked up at him wide eyed. Steve hadn’t asked Tony to stab his salad since the beginning of junior year when he accidentally punctured a hole in the plastic container and dripped dressing all over Steve’s new khakis. While Tony had paid for dry cleaning and bought him a replacement, the embarrassment of walking around for the rest of the day with a large stain on his pants prevented him from ever allowing Tony to do it again.

With a laugh, Tony accepted the glass container which Steve hoped he didn’t manage to somehow poke through. Steve settled back against his hands while Tony counted out 23 stabs. The lettuce was a mangled mess when Tony passed the container back to Steve but it was worth the beautiful, cheap laugh he had coaxed out of his friend.

Steve shoved a forkful of salad into his mouth studying Tony as he chewed. The genius had his eyes closed an expression of pure bliss splayed across his features as he savoured his sandwich. He probably hadn’t had one since Steve’s dad had last made him one.

Steve looked back at his salad a wave of sadness washing over him. Tony probably never got homemade food the same way Steve did. In fact, Tony was always eating takeout or restaurant leftovers in school. Nothing like the hand packed, homemade, food Steve always brought and shared with him, complete with a nice note from his dad. Over time his dad started packing Steve bigger portions and addressing the note to both of them. Steve couldn’t imagine what it was like for Tony going to college and loosing what was clearly a more prominent father figure to him than Howard.

Steve vowed that if he wasn’t able to make a friendship work between them he would start delivering garlic bread grilled cheese sandwiches to Tony’s new address, because they had that now, and writing him nice accompanying notes. Tony deserved to have food made with love every once in a while.

Steve was drawn out of his reverie by the sound of wrinkling aluminium foil as Tony tried to do origami with his empty foil. He fashioned it into a hat plopping it on Steve’s head.

“Here eat another one,” Steve pulled a second grilled cheese out of the basket passing it to Tony, “then you can make yourself a hat and we can match.

Tony nodded pulling open the aluminium and taking a huge but out of a sandwich quarter. It was devoured in less than a minute and then Tony was sitting happily, the sun glinting off the aluminium hat sitting on his head. Steve resisted the urge to swoon as Tony brushed crumbs off his pants stretching out to lie down. Steve couldn’t resist snapping a Polaroid. He never wanted to forget the relaxed line of Tony’s legs and the small quirk to his lips as his eyelashes fanned out across his cheekbones.

“Thank you for lunch Steve,” Tony sounded unbelievably sincere and Steve had to resist the urge to bend over him and bring their mouths together. On second thought, Steve wasn’t sure sending Tony food would be enough if their relationship went south. He briefly wondered if he could find a box big enough to FedEx himself to Tony’s doorstep.

“I have desert.” Steve pulled out the large plastic box of chocolate dipped strawberries. They were dark chocolate, Tony’s favourite and Steve had hand picked the ripest strawberries for him. Steve’s mouth watered as he pried the lid off the container and held the box out to Tony.

It took him a second to look up as he basked in the waning light. He looked from the container up to Steve’s face before a warm pink spread across his nose to his cheeks as he accepted a strawberry. Tony bit into it and Steve could only watch as juice dribbled down his chin wetting his pink lips. He forced himself to look away as Tony let out a low, barely audible groan and licked the juice off his fingers.

Desire pooled in his chest as want caught in the hard jut of his hips.Steve would have never done the strawberries if he had known it would lead to this. If he didn’t get a handle on himself he would soon have a big problem on his hands. He reached for a strawberry to keep himself from fidgeting as he avoided Tony’s eyes. 

Thankfully they polished off the strawberries quickly packing up the empty containers and folding the checkered blanket. Steve’s painting was dry and it had turned out perfectly. As Steve loaded everything into his canvas bag for the drive back to his house, he couldn’t help but think of their lunch as a date. He smiled to himself as he slid onto his bike revving the engine and loving the firm comfort of Tony against his back as he peeled out of the parking lot toward his apartment. It was easily the best date Steve had ever been on.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I couldn't tell you what these chapter names were if they hit me in the face. They started out okay and then they just started getting progressively worse. I honestly don't know what I was going for.


	9. Tony

They got home just in time for Joseph to kick Tony’s ass at Jeopardy. It wasn’t the first time the genius had lost to his best friend’s dad, but it was definitely the most memorable. It had started out okay with both of them doing pretty well and passing the lead back and forth between them. Then Sarah’s cookies got involved, whoever won would get first dibs at a dozen, and things devolved from there. In favour of their stomachs the battle had turned nasty and manful tears were involved when Tony had to watch Joseph shovel an entire batch of Sarah’s delicious cookies in his mouth.

Steve had sat at the kitchen table laughing as Tony pouted. Sarah dropped a kiss on his head before placing a plate of cookies in front of Tony and ruffling her fingers through his hair, “win or lose, we’ll always love and support you, Tony.”

“With a family like you guys, I’ll always be a winner.”

The room went silent and a blush immediately rose to Tony’s cheeks. He briefly wondered why had he opened his mouth and let that out. As much as he loved Joseph and Sarah they weren’t his family and he couldn’t just impose on them like that. He should just go before he made it worse. Like implied that he was their actual son or something equally stupid. He made an aborted motion to leave, parting words catching on his canines and choking him as he stuttered. 

“Tony,” suddenly Sarah’s arms were around him followed by Steve’s and then Joseph’s. It was a bone crushing hug of which only the Rogers family seemed capable and Tony’s allowed himself to be squished between them all. “You are family.” She stood on the tips of her toes to press a kiss to his forehead before gently pulling away. She pushed him back into his chair. “Now don’t you dare try to leave now, dinner's almost ready.”

Tony nodded allowing himself to be manhandled back into his chair.

“What’s for dinner?” Steve sat down in his seat beside Tony stealing a cookie off his plate. Their fingers brushed and Steve shot him a grin.

“Lasagna,” Joseph said as he pulled the glass dish out of the oven. “I made some amazing cannoli while you guys were at the park so we’re eating dinner backwards tonight.”

A smile spread across Tony’s face chasing away the earlier frown. He absolutely loved the rebellious feeling he got when Sarah and Joseph pulled a backwards dinner night. Breaking the speed limit in a fancy sports car and defying the laws of physics in his lab didn’t even hold a candle to eating dessert before dinner.

Joseph plated the cannoli as Sarah dusted the pastries with powdered sugar and set them on the table. The deserts were perfect, fluffy and filled with the most delicious dark chocolate cream filling. Each cannoli was about the size of Tony’s head and about as thick as his arm. Tony dug in with his fork trying not to moan as he took a bite. Joseph had been generous with the red wine in the shell and it went perfectly with the sugary raspberry syrup he had drizzled onto the entire thing.

The lasagna had cooled down enough by the time they finished desert and Steve cut them all large pieces passing plates around the table. The pasta cake was nothing short of delicious as Tony dug into the warm dinner. Absolutely nothing beat sitting at the Rogers’ dinner table eating the best food in the world. He would never leave if he could help it.

He hadn’t had cannoli and lasagna since Maria had broken out the family recipie book to have Jarvis cook her favourites when Tony’s maternal grandmother passed. Howard preferred seafood to Italian so they hadn’t had it since the one time.

Tony helped with the dishes afterward as Joseph and Steve headed to the living room to clean up after the hurricane that was Jeopardy: Joseph vs. Tony. Tony filled the sink pulling off Steve’s jacket and setting it on the counter before dipping his hands in the warm water and scrubbing down a plate. Sarah was humming behind him as she plastic wrapped the leftover lasagna in the fridge and put the last few surviving cookies into a jar.

She stopped to look at a picture on the fridge. It was of the four of them at one of Steve’s baseball games in the spring of senior year. Steve was on a sweaty high of having just won the game with the winning home run, he had an arm thrown around Tony and a wide grin on his face. Joseph was standing on Steve’s other side with his hand on his son’s shoulder, an expression of pride across his face. Sarah was standing beside Tony her arm linked in his looking blissfully happy as she watched all of them with a smirk. Tony hated that picture because the love he felt for Steve was blatantly obvious by the smitten expression on his face. Shame burned bright and hot at the nape of Tony’s neck, curling beneath his scalp and settling in the back of his mind as he finished drying off the last dish.

Tony drained the sink wiping his hands on the dish cloth before leaving it to dry on the counter. He pulled on Steve’s leather jacket heading to the living room to see about getting a ride back home. Steve was saying something about showering when Tony entered, he left the TV on as he got up to head to his room and Tony curled into the warm space he left behind to wait.

America’s Next Top Model was playing on the screen and Tony watched disinterested but too lazy to find the remote and change the channel. A grey afghan was thrown across the back of the couch and Tony covered himself with it snuggling into the warmth. He closed his eyes allowing himself to relax into the couch as he let the sounds of the TV wash over him. He was sure Joseph and Sarah wouldn’t mind if he fell asleep on the couch while he waited for Steve to finish showering.

Halfway through the episode Sarah came to sit beside Tony on the couch placing a gentle hand on his back, probably to make sure he wouldn’t get startled. Tony immediately scrabbled for the remote to shut off the TV, sitting up to give her his full attention. By the tentative expression on her face he knew that she wanted to ask him something.

“Why did you leave without telling us?” She suddenly blurted out. Her hands flew to her lips her eyes widening as a shocked blush crept up her cheeks. “Gosh I’m sorry I should have had more preamble than that.”

Tony laughed leaning back into the couch and shooting her a relaxed smile as he pulled the grey blanket up and over his shoulders, “don’t worry about it mom.”

On the inside Tony was freaking out because how do you tell someone that you are in love with their only child and have been for five years? He ran his sweaty palms down his thighs as he tried to quell his racing heart to no avail. I’m 

“I see how happy you make Steve and it’s like you never left,” she scrubbed a hand down her face pushing her blonde hair behind her ears, “but then I remember how lost my poor baby boy was for the two years you were gone, how I’d see you on TV with your practiced press smile but know deep down you were just as sad and lost. You talked to us about deferring your scholarship to wait for Steve to decide what he wanted to do with himself. We didn’t agree with it, but you would have done anything to keep him with you. You asked me if you could take Steve with you to Cambridge so you guys wouldn’t have to say goodbye to each other and you could still attend MIT. You could have lived with us if you wanted while you both figured things out. Whatever it is that made you leave without saying anything, I want to prevent it from ever happening again.”

“You can’t” Tony looked down at his socked toes peeking out from the bottom of the blanket as he tried to blink back surprise tears. His voice sounded small to his ears as he admitted, “I love him,” and suddenly his vision was blurry and there were tears streaming down his face and Sarah was hugging him for all he was worth. “I have for a long time and I don’t think I’ll ever stop. I want him so badly and-” Tony choked the words balling in his throat and catching on his molars,  _ it’s tearing me apart inside. _

“Tony, darling,” Sarah cupped his face brushing away each tear with the pads of her thumbs as she met his wet eyes. God, they looked just like Steve’s save for the bruise of sleep deprivation to which she was privy. “Why don’t you just tell him how you feel?”

“I did,” Tony whispered hopelessly. He was swiping furiously at his own face because crying over something as stupid as Steve not loving him back was ridiculous. He hated that he couldn’t be happy with just being friends. He hated himself for not being good enough for Steve, for not being a girl that Steve could love. And most of all, he hated his tear ducts which were betraying him, he’d have them removed at the next available opportunity.

Sarah froze, her face immediately twisting into confusion. Her brows furrowed as she rubbed away more of Tony’s hysterical tears, “you what?”

“I kissed him,” Tony responded feeling like he’d just run a marathon as he exhaled shakily, “and he told me that he’s painfully straight which I obviously couldn’t deal with so I left to make him happy.” Tony shrugged trying to gain some semblance of control over his emotions as he wiped away what he hoped was the last of the tears. “Speaking of leaving I should probably get going before it gets too late. I can just catch a cab home.”

“Already?” Steve had just emerged from his room catching the tail end of his conversation with Sarah. He frowned drying the back of his neck with a light blue towel, “yeah sure. Let me just grab my jacket and I’ll take you.”

Tony nodded slowly, his lip catching on his teeth. Great, just what he needed was half an hour pressed up against Steve as the blond drove him home. He gritted his teeth as he stood hating how his movements were shaky with fatigue. Emotions were so tiring. He shot Steve what he hoped was a pleasant smile but probably resembled a grimace, “thanks.”

That’s when Steve caught a look at his face, “woah, what happened? Are you alright?” He immediately crossed the room to Tony cupping his face and tilting his chin up. “Hey hey, Tony look at me. Tell me what’s wrong.”

Tony closed his eyes avoiding eye contact with Steve’s baby blues. He couldn’t do this now. Not when his heart was rubbed raw. Not when he could still feel the rush of admitting that he loved someone who would never love him back. He hated feeling so weak but couldn’t resist leaning in to Steve’s touch.

“Joseph,” he heard Sarah yelling behind him but it sounded distant in the hurricane of his thoughts. “Joseph, drive Tony home will you darling?”

“Wait what?” Steve dropped one of his hands and like his strings had been cut Tony staggered back catching on the couch as he tripped and doubled over. “I am perfectly capable of taking him home.”

“Come on son,” Joseph bent down and put an arm around his shoulders leading him out of the house and to his car parked out front. He patted his shoulder with a firm kiss to his hairline, “we’ll get you home safe and sound.


	10. Steve

Steve stood in the living room utterly gobsmacked as he watched his father lead his best friend out the door and into the night.

He ran back through their evening, nothing out of the ordinary had happened. They had come back from their location, eaten dinner and then Steve had gone for a shower while Tony washed the dishes and watched TV with his ma.

His ma who was currently sitting on the couch looking totally shocked and rubbing her hands over her face like she felt the weight of the world on her shoulders. She looked up and their eyes met. Steve almost flinched at the anger and disappointment in them but he steeled himself. He gingerly took a seat on the couch beside her waiting for her to speak first.

“Tony kissed you,” she whispered , sighing into her palms before turning to look at Steve, “you told him that you are straight.” Steve opened his mouth to defend himself but she held up her hand, “don’t tell me you didn’t think you were bisexual when he kissed you,” his ma bit out harshly, “which means you lied to him then and you’ve been stringing him along this entire week.” She stood up shaking her head, “You are my son and I will always love you, but I didn’t raise you to treat people like that, especially not someone who loves you as much as Tony does.

“I have seen the way he looks at you. He may just be another muse to you, but you are his whole world.” His ma was pacing the room now a distressed look on her face. “He’s been through so much, his parents’ deaths, his kidnapping, the Stark Industries shift away from weapons tech. The last thing that poor boy needs is someone playing with his heart. It’s broken enough.” She sat back down on the couch fixing him with a hard look.

“I made a mistake,” Steve ran his fingers through his hair looking up at the ceiling. “This whole project has been about trying to fix things. To learn each other again and maybe rekindle our friendship if I’m lucky.” Steve stands up picking up the stack of Polaroids on the coffee table. Every single one he and Tony had taken over the past week. He flipped through them. If things didn’t work out at least he’d have these awesome memories.

“If you don’t love him, please don’t make it worse for him,” Sarah looked over his shoulder at the pictures. Steve was looking at the one of Tony asleep in his bed.

“I love him so much.” Steve caressed the picture before closing his eyes to stop the tears from coming. “I can’t afford to make another mistake and push him away forever.”

“You boys need to get your heads out of your asses,” Sarah muttered as she stood up from the couch shooting Steve one last glare before dropping a kiss on his head. “You better tell him how you feel when you see him tomorrow. Go big or go home.”  

Sarah ruffled his hair before heading off down the hall to her bedroom. His ma didn’t raise a quitter, so if it made her happy, he wouldn’t let Tony leave tomorrow until his muse knew exactly how Steve felt. 

He shuffled the Polaroids before heading to the kitchen and laying them all out on the table. He grabbed a Sharpie off the counter uncapping it. It was going to be a long night.

***

Today was their last day together. One more painting and then Tony would have no reason to help Steve any longer, for all he knew, his best friend could leave and never look back. Steve had one last shot to convince Tony to stay.

“Sit here,” Steve patted the grey quilt on his neatly made bed. Tony plopped down, leaning back against the wall. He stretched his legs out in front of him, his naked feet crossed at the ankles. Steve gently smoothed the sheets around him.

“Could you close the window?” A shiver ran down Tony’s spine so Steve promptly shut the window with a satisfying slam. He gathered up the checkered quilt folding it in quarters before draping it across Tony’s legs.

“Coffee?” Steve set down two of his Tony-filled sketchbooks on the bed to create a steady surface for the mug. It was a large faded red ceramic teacup on which Steve had sharpied the words  _ Geniuses do it better.  _ He set it down and Tony immediately reached for it downing half the contents.

Last to get placed into the scene were the polaroids. Steve set the camera down beside Tony on the side opposite the mug. He gathered the stack of pictures taking a deep breath before scattering them around Tony in an artful arc. He grabbed his three favourites fanning them out like a hand of cards and sticking them between Tony’s calloused fingers. It felt a lot like handing him his heart.

Steve immediately retreated behind the canvas hurrying to sketch out the preliminary lines in case he had read the situation wrong and Tony didn’t actually like him back.

The three polaroids in Tony’s hands were his favourites from the week. Steve had taken hours last night thoughtfully captioning each picture from the week, pouring his heart out for his best friend.

The first one had been taken in the park the day before. Tony had looked up at Steve , his eyes bright and his smile wide. In that moment Steve couldn’t help but fall in love with Tony more. That picture was captioned  _ You’re beautiful when you smile. _ Tony had the kind of smile that could move mountains. His press smile was attractive if not a little cold but his real, genuine smile was captivating. He smiled with his entire being ,  his eyes lighting up and his nose crinkling adorably as his lips split across pearly white teeth.

The second polaroid had been taken in Tony’s workshop. His lips had quirked up in a small grin as he pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose. The glasses magnified the beauty of his eyes tenfold and added a youth to his face that took Steve back to high school where he first met Tony.  _ You’re beautiful in glasses  _ was the caption of that picture. Steve loved his glasses, they were a part of Tony and Steve hoped he never switched out for contacts.

The final one was the from Wednesday morning, Tony fast asleep in Steve’s bed. The cute but sexy one that Steve had spent way too much of his free time looking at. He could perfectly recall the delicate dip of Tony’s back when he closed his eyes. Tony looked more relaxed in the cramped calm of Steve’s apartment than in his own workshop. That picture had gotten the simple caption,  _ You’re beautiful.  _

All of the other polaroids scattered around Tony were captioned in equally soul-baring ways.

“Steve,” Tony sounded choked and when Steve looked up from where he was inking down the preliminary lines the brunet’s eyes were filled with unshed tears

Steve immediately abandoned his painting rounding the easel to sit in bed with Tony. Steve cupped his face as the tears began spilling down his cheeks. Tony tried shoving the pictures back into Steve’s hands his head shaking vigorously and his hands clenching and unclenching in clear anxiety. “I’m sorry , but please don’t say these things to me if you don’t mean them.”

Steve’s heart broke as he gently brushed away Tony’s tears. He had royally mucked up in high school if Tony couldn’t see how honest he was being. “If there’s anything I didn’t mean, it’s what I said two years ago to make you leave,” Steve responded moving Tony’s mostly empty mug to the dresser table so he wouldn’t have to worry about knocking it over. “I mean every word on these pictures because I love you.”

Steve gathered the remaining polaroids on the bed so he wouldn’t accidentally crush anything as he slid his hand to the back of Tony’s head and tilted his chin up to kiss him. Tony tasted like coffee and coconut chapstick and joy thrummed in Steve’s rib cage as Tony’s eyelashes fluttered against his. The kiss was relatively short and Steve was the one who pulled away first nipping at Tony’s lips as he got lost in the chocolate pools of his eyes.

“You’re not going to tell me that you’re straight again?” Tony looked up and him teasingly before gripping Steve’s t-shirt and pulling his down to peck at his lips again, “are you?”

Steve laughed gently flipping them both so Tony was straddling his waist. He tossed the checkered blanket on the floor his fingers finding the place on Tony’s hip where his thumb slotted against the bone perfectly. The brunet moaned as Steve dug his fingers into the round globes of his ass. “Never.”

“For the record,” Tony gasped as he ground down against Steve before crushing their lips together in a breathless moan. “I think you’re beautiful too.”

Steve splayed his hands across Tony’s back bringing him down until they were flush against each other before shifting his hips. He paused to yank his shirt off Tony and it joined the blanket on the floor.

“There was never any art competition,” Steve admitted as Tony sucked at his bottom lip. “I made it all up because I missed you so badly and wanted to work with you again.” Steve slowly ran his fingers through the smaller man’s hair. “I am in love with you too, have been since sophomore year.”

Tony huffed tugging Steve’s shirt off and peppering kisses across his pecs. “Yet you told me you weren’t interested.” He punctuated each word with a kiss before stopping at the strong curve of Steve’s neck to suck a hickey into the skin. Steve was delighted at the thought of the mark lingering on his pale Irish skin for weeks.

“You’re my best friend, I didn’t want things to change.” He groaned as Tony licked over the abused skin rocking his hips up. “I was afraid that if it didn’t work out I’d lose my closest friend.” Steve fumbled with the zipper on Tony’s dark jeans tugging at the button. 

“I’m sorry I left,” Tony whispered as Steve slid down his pants in one smooth motion. He nipped at Steve’s jaw rubbing the bulge of his erection on the zipper of his jeans. “I was going to defer, Sarah wanted me to move in with you guys.”

Steve opened his mouth losing his train of thought as Tony fingers interlaced with his. The leather cords of their friendship bracelets tangled together and the clack of the beads drew a giggle out of Tony.

“That’s in the past now,” Steve kicked off his jeans drawing his hands up Tony’s back before pressing their lips together. Tony melted against him and Steve loved the way their bodies fit together. “What matters to me is right now,” Steve slid his hands to Tony’s ass squeezing gently to gain his full attention. “Do you want this?”

“God, Steve,” Tony ground his hips down recapturing Steve’s perfect bottom lip. “I’ve wanted you for so long.”

“Good,” Steve murmured into the heat of Tony’s skin. “Now that you have me, you’re never getting rid of me.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The next chapter is shameless pwp so if you're not in to that you could probably end the book here and not go any further. If you like syrup, I would also advise you not to continue reading.


	11. Tony

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is smut, the very sticky kind. Just keep in mind that you might never be able to have fruit syrup again without thinking about this if you chose to continue.

Tony woke up to a tickling sensation across his nipples. Steve was painting him with an actual brush and a pallette. He was naked save for an adorable red beret balanced on the top of his golden curls. He looked like a greek God, the strong lines of his shoulder a harsh juxtaposition with the gentle curve of his pinking lips as he smirked down at his canvas of Tony’s olive skin.

Steve dipped his brush into a dark blue liquid that smelled of blueberries before swirling it over Tony’s left nipple which immediately pebbled in the cold. Tony resisted the urge to shiver as he hooked his legs around Steve pulling the artist closer and spreading himself for him. Whatever Steve had painted around his rim was sticky as hell.

Steve dragged the brush through some dark red liquid swiping the brush across Tony’s bottom lip before sliding it down his cock. Tony’s tongue flicked out to try the liquid surprised when the taste of raspberries flooded his taste buds.

“When you said you wanted to paint me again,” Tony began his throat still sore and raw from last night, “I didn’t think this is what you meant.” He dipped his fingers in the blue covering nipples bringing them to his mouth and savouring the taste of blueberries as he swirled his tongue around each digit.

Steve laughed leaning down to kiss him without their bodies touching. It was messy and their teeth bumped together because they were still learning each other but Tony found that he didn’t really mind. Steve tasted like mango and strawberries and Tony licked his swollen lips as he pulled away. Steve shot him a devilish grin and resumed painting Tony’s cock with the raspberry sauce until it was completely covered. Each feather light stroke of the brush had Tony gripping the sheets for dear life and throwing his head back in filthy moans. He probably looked like the most erotic painting ever and something about that idea made him impossibly harder.

Steve set his palette on the bedside table sucking the remaining syrup off his brush before dipping it into an orange colour that was probably mango. He painted it across Tony’s adonis belt and up his lower abdomen in beautiful curling designs. The syrup rose goosebumps across his flesh and a shiver raced up his spine when Steve gently blew across his stomach before dipping his tongue in Tony’s navel where the mango syrup was pooling. When Steve was satisfied he flipped the brush easing the handle into Tony’s ass pulling it away covered in purple liquid, maybe grape. Steve’s delicate pink tongue flicked out to lick the brush clean before tossing it aside and wiping his hands on the sheets.

“Can I take your picture?” Steve grabbed the camera off the table looking at Tony with a pleading puppy dog look he couldn’t resist. He ran his fingers down the inside of Tony’s thigh sending another shiver down his spine.

“Yeah,” Steve hadn’t even laid a hand on his cock and he was already breathless and panting. Tony shifted and let his legs fall open a little more moving his locked ankles higher up Steve’s back. Tony felt Steve’s fingers dance up the inside of his thigh and when he tilted his head back to let out a moan he heard the shutter of a camera. He purses his lips, lowering his head up to look up at Steve through lowered lashes. “Please tell me that isn’t going on the fridge.”

The resulting laugh was beautifully light and Tony wanted to bottle up the sound so he could listen to it on repeat forever. Steve had the most gorgeous laugh, Tony wished he had realised it sooner.

“I always liked blowing raspberries as a kid,” Steve admitted not giving Tony any time to process before he was sliding his hands under the smaller man’s ass and lifting his hips toward his lips.

Tony nearly choked as the warm heat of Steve’s mouth closed over the head of his cock sucking him off like it was his life’s greatest goal. He glanced down at Steve who had maneuvered his broad shoulders under Tony’s thighs to take the weight off his hands which were squeezing the globes of Tony’s ass and rubbing over his rim, still sore and loose from last night. Steve swiped his tongue up the underside of his cock and Tony nearly came right there.

He slid a hand into Steve’s hair stifling a groan as Steve slipped a finger past the ring of muscle and into his ass. Steve slid the digit, coated in orange liquid, into his mouth along with Tony’s cock lapping at the syrup. Tony breathlessly moaned out Steve’s name as the artist swallowed him past his non-existent gag reflex pressing his nose into Tony’s dark curls.

He would never ever forget the glorious sight of Steve’s beautiful golden hair between his legs. He took a mental photograph knowing he would remember this for the rest of his life. Steve worked a second finger into Tony’s ass opening him up a little more. Tony probably groaned out Steve’s name, he didn’t really know. All his senses were blending together in a chant of Steve as he kept his face pressed against Tony’s groin. Tony barely had time to wonder if Steve could even breathe like that before he was coming down the artist’s throat. Steve somehow managed to swallow it all down without choking and Tony knew right then that he could spend the rest of his life with beautiful, perfect Steve.

Steve pulled away swirling his tongue around the head of Tony’s cock before releasing him with a wet pop. Tony looked up into his blue eyes finding himself drowning in the unadulterated love reflected in Steve’s azure pools. “I love you,” he whispered.

Tony didn’t care that he was sticky with syrup he slid his legs off Steve’s shoulder using his hold on the blond’s hair to drag him down for a messy kiss. Tony could taste himself and a cocktail of other fruits. Raspberry, kiwi, and maybe a hint of coconut though that could just be Tony’s own chapstick. Steve slid against the blueberry syrup on his chest ruining the mango design painted on his lower abdomen. He kissed Steve for all he was worth their tongues sliding against each other as Steve ground himself down against Tony’s spent cock. “I love you too, Steve.” 

Tony groaned as he slid his fingers through the blueberry syrup on his chest reaching down to slick Steve up before guiding him towards his ass. Too lazy to reach for a pillow Steve used his hands to support Tony’s hips as he lined himself up. After last night there wasn’t much resistance and Steve slid right in until their hips met and he leaned down to drop a kiss on Tony’s flushed cheeks. He felt blissed out, Steve made sex into an art form, his delicate hands brushing up and down Tony’s sticky sides.

“You feel beautiful,” Steve sucked a hickey into the curve of Tony’s jaw. He would get hell from Pepper at the next executive meeting when the bruises showed but he refused to care as he tilted his chin up to allow Steve better access. He would wear Steve’s marks with pride, who cared if the board knew that he got well and thoroughly fucked over the weekend.

Steve pulled out until just his tip was resting against Tony’s rim. He looked down to see where they were joined before sliding back in much slower than before. Tony clenched around him but Steve did nothing to speed up his snail’s pace as he lazily drove into Tony. Steve wrapped a large hand around Tony’s half hard cock giving it a tug in time with his thrusts. There was no urgency in his pace as he used his free hand to run his fingers through Tony’s hair and smooth down his wild curls.

“Steve if you don’t go faster I might die,” Tony croaked as he gripped onto Steve’s shoulders. He dug the heels of his feet into the fine globes of Steve’s ass feeling his cock harden as he rutted up into the artist. Tony looped his arms around his neck bringing Steve down so he could suck his perfect bottom lip swollen. He rolled it between his teeth biting gently and listening to Steve groan happily. 

Steve adjusted his grip and Tony moaned knowing he would definitely love the bruises in the shape of Steve’s fingers marking his hips. Tony slid his legs higher around Steve’s waist as he picked up the pace hitting Tony’s prostate on every single thrust. “You’re so beautiful.”

“I know,” Tony smirked laughing at Steve’s shocked expression. He reached up pulling Steve down against him for the friction of Steve’s perfect abs on his cock. Steve groaned as he came and he looked absolutely gorgeous with his face twisted in pleasure above Tony. Tony couldn’t help pressing a kiss on the tip of Steve’s nose. “I think you’re beautiful too.” 

“You’re such a dork, I love you” Steve whispered as Tony orgasmed a second time spilling all over his stomach and clenching down around Steve. He fisted his fingers into the bedsheets his toes curling. Steve pulled out looking down at his cock covered in purple and orange syrup. They’d made a complete mess and Tony was dripping come and syrup onto the sheets.

“The syrup was a fantastic idea, ten out of ten for my beautiful artist.” Tony slid his hand down Steve’s cock licking the grape and orange flavoured syrup that Steve had painted into his ass off his fingers. He closed his eyes loving the bitter taste of Steve mixed with the tang of various tropical fruits. Steve bent over his stomach licking the mango off Tony’s abdomen as he slid a finger in his ass to check for tearing. “We should probably get cleaned up before I stick to the bedsheets.”

The shower took longer than necessary but finally both of them were clean and not sticky. Tony was having fun rifling through Steve’s dresser drawers for a pair of boxers when the blond appeared behind him peering over his shoulder. “You should go with those ones,” he pointed at a dark blue pair with pink robots on it, “they’re my favourite.” Tony laughed pulling them up his legs. Steve’s fingers found the handprint shaped bruises on his hips tracing over them with reverence as he dropped kisses on Tony’s shoulders. “How’re you feeling?”

Tony ran his hands up Steve’s chest to his shoulders clutching them firmly as he drowned in the blond’s eyes. “I’m not going to lie, my hips kinda ache.” He reveled in the blush that immediately ran across Steve’s cheeks and down his chest. “I like it because it’s a reminder of you.”

Steve leaned down to kiss him and before he knew it, Tony had his legs around Steve’s waist getting a new hickey sucked into the row across his collarbone. Tony rocked against him running his fingers through Steve’s hair to hold him against his neck.

Tony’s stomach growled and Steve immediately burst out laughing gently releasing him to the floor as pink began to spread across Tony’s nose. He placed a final kiss on Tony’s lips, the most chaste one of the morning before pulling away and shooting him a dazzling grin. “Let’s get you some food first, and then we can spend the rest of the day in bed.”

Steve dug around in the back of his closet pulling out a pair of pants that fit two summers ago when he was still small. Tony still had to roll the cuffs up a couple of times but it felt nice to be wearing his boyfriend’s clothes.

He turned around grabbing Steve’s towel off the back of his desk chair to dry the clumpy curls of his hair. Steve stepped in front of him grabbing the towel and doing it for him. Tony allowed Steve to slide his hoodie over him revelling in the smell of the blond on the fabric. It was one that Steve had bought recently because Tony was drowning in it even as he pushed the sleeves up his arms.

Steve dropped a kiss on both his cheeks. “I’ll take care of this,” Steve cupped the globes of his ass with a gentle squeeze, “after I make you breakfast.”

Tony nodded limping down the hall to the kitchen as Steve grabbed the colourful sticky sheets off the bed and both their towels to throw into the wash.

“Hey mom,” Tony greeted Sarah with a yawn, a shiver raced down his spine as his cold feet slapped across the tile. He should have asked Steve for some socks. “Did you just get home?”

“Yeah,” she immediately responded as Tony rounded the kitchen counter to give her a hug. “The hospital received a huge donation a couple of days ago from an anonymous donor, we will be upgrading all our systems to Stark Technology.”

“That’s great, I’m happy for you and all the patients those advancements will be able to save,” he responded as he took a seat at the table where a steaming mug of coffee was waiting for him. He wrapped his fingers around the mug, inhaling the warm smell of vanilla and cinnamon. Sarah always made the best coffee.

“I know it was you Tony,” Sarah plated a couple of waffles before pouring batter back into the mold. She looked up to shoot him a warm smile. “I really appreciate it.”

“Anything for you mom,” he downed the coffee steam leaking out of the sides as he drained the mug.

She eyed him skeptically as she dug around in the fridge before sighing as she pulled out an empty bottle of raspberry sauce. “I swear, I bought a new one of these last week,” she muttered setting the container on the counter, “I know Steve loves this sugary stuff but he should really exercise some restraint.”

Steve bounded down the hall pressing a kiss on his mother’s cheek before smooching one on Tony’s forehead and taking the seat beside him. He had the three paintings from the week tucked under his arm. Tony felt his cheeks burn as he noticed the purpling hickey peeking out of the collar of Steve’s tight grey shirt. Steve looked back and forth between them, his brows furrowed in confusion. “Who ‘should really exercise some restraint?’”

“You should,” Tony responded hiding a snicker as Steve shot him an adorably confused look. he made grabby hands for the paintings. “How did you manage to finish an entire jar of raspberry sauce in a meager week?”

A blush rose to Steve’s cheeks as the words hit him and Tony was content to watch him squirm as he shot a panicked look at his mom. “What can I say? It tastes so good.” He smirked at Tony before dropping his voice so Sarah wouldn’t hear him,   “especially on you.” Steve handed over the paintings and a pair of socks picking up Tony’s empty coffee mug to refill it while Tony looked them over.

Sarah eyed the both of them before shaking her head and throwing her hands up as she tossed the empty jar in the recycling bin. “I don’t even want to think about where you put all that sauce.”

Tony barely heard her, he was too busy being totally and utterly gobsmacked by the paintings in front of him. He spread them out across the table as Steve returned with his coffee. Every single one of them was done with such a vivid attention to detail that they looked more like photographs than paintings. The mixed media of the pens, watercolours, and what looked like acrylic highlights, tied the entire tryptych together beautifully. The checkered blanket which Steve had featured in every piece brought the three paintings together in a cohesive style that told the story of photography.

The first one was from Tony’s workshop. Steve had perfectly captured the way the blue of the holograms reflected in Tony’s brown eyes. Dummy in the background had a nice metallic sheen. Tony could tell that Steve had paid special attention to the curve of Tony’s neck, the delicate fan of his lashes, and the strong v of his thighs wrapped around the bench. 

The second painting from union square park was painted in rushed greens. Steve had added a surprising amount of detail to the yellow weed tucked behind Tony’s ear and mixed flecks of gold into Tony’s eyes to match throwing off the colours beautifully. It looked like each strand of the brunet’s hair was a different shade of dark brown forming beautiful chocolate curls on his head falling into his eyes.

Steve must have finished the last painting when he woke up this morning because he sure had been too wrapped up in Tony to have finished it the night before. Steve had used murky greys for the sheets but Tony was painted in striking acrylics. Steve had gotten the bow of his lips and the curve of his brows perfectly. He had mixed several colours for Tony’s eyes adding dimension to them that Tony had never seen before. It was far better than the picture. The polaroids were painted in fleeting cream kisses across the canvas, each one a declaration of Steve’s love.

The attention to detail was astonishing and suddenly Tony felt like Steve’s work belonged in a high quality museum where the artist’s true talent could be appreciated by people who mattered. Tony considered convincing Steve to donate his pieces to the MET or something before realizing that he couldn’t part with the paintings if he wanted to. They were like a love letter from Steve and Tony knew he would cherish them for the rest of his life. 

“These are beautiful,” Tony murmured as he pressed a kiss to the corner of Steve’s mouth trying and failing to tear his eyes from the paintings. He stroked his fingers down the dry canvas feeling the bumps of each reverent stroke under his fingers. “I love them. I love you.”

“So now that you two have sorted yourselves,” Sarah turned away from the counter as her eyes flitted from where Steve had an arm around Tony to Steve’s bruised neck with a knowing look, “why don’t you finally move in together like you planned to, two years ago?” She turned back to the waffle iron shutting it off and pulling out the last one. “You should do everyone a favour and find a place with soundproof walls.”

“That’s not a bad idea,” Tony sighed fighting the blush that was already creeping up his face. Steve had had no such luck and was sitting at the table looking very much like a cute blond tomato. Tony resisted the urge to laugh as he bumped his toes against Steve’s shins to grab his attention. “My penthouse has lots of space and no nosy neighbours. Whaddaya say?”

“I don’t want to impose. You have a company to run.” Steve fiddled with the edge of his shirt pulling on a stray thread as he avoided Tony’s eyes.

Tony looped his ankle around Steve’s. “You definitely will not be imposing if I want you there Steve.” Tony set a hand on Steve’s shoulder rubbing away the tension and dropping a kiss on his collarbone. “We can turn the lower floor into a nice studio for you, you can sell your paintings out of the building if you want. If you really feel the need to pay rent to a billionaire, my walls are pretty bare and could use some spicing up.”

Steve paused his brows furrowing as he thought it over. “Okay,” Tony got a sound kiss to seal the deal as Steve nodded firmly. He picked up the paintings putting them in a neat stack. “I know exactly what needs to go up on the wall first.”


	12. EPILOGUE TONY

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> ONE YEAR LATER

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Special thanks to my babe AJ on the discord server for the beta. Her first language is Gaelic (Steve Rogers solidarity) and I am incompetent so there are probably still a lot of errors in this but I tried my best.  
> This is mostly just shameless smut. In fact, I glossed over everything else. Sorry.  
> Happy Valentine's Day!

“Good morning, beloved.”

Tony woke to the gentle press of Steve’s lips against his and he reveled in the warmth of his boyfriend’s arms as he rolled over in bed. “You stole my line.”

Steve smirked before brushing a softer kiss to his lips, “still applies.” 

“Whatever,” Tony responded dragging his fingers over a purpling hickey high on Steve’s neck. That sure wouldn’t be covered by a high collar Tony smirked to himself.

Steve let out a deep exhale before he glanced down at Tony with a wicked smirk, “I could stay here in bed with you forever.”

“Mom wants us at her house by six,” Tony shivered as Steve ran a hand absentmindedly down his flank. He let himself be rolled onto Steve’s torso, his morning wood pressing into the larger man’s thigh. “She wants to feed us dinner.” Tony couldn’t contain his smile as the realisation washed over him. He grinned up from where he was settled pillowed on Steve’s pec, “happy anniversary, _ beloved _ .”

Steve laughed, a beautiful sound that hit Tony and spread through his chest, a pleasant, burning wildfire that warmed him from his curled toes to the tip of his nose. With a teasing grin he gently pressed his muscled thigh up and into Tony’s erection, hands running down his back. Tony responded with a wet kiss against his milky white chest. Steve shook his head, “I love you Tony.”

Tony pushed himself up so he could press his nose against the curve of Steve’s neck. Their hard lengths slid against each other and Tony let out a satisfied groan at the zing of pleasure. “I love you too, Steve.”

With a warm sigh Tony ground down against Steve bringing his arms up into his golden waves. “I made us lunch reservations downstairs,” Tony mumbled against Steve’s lips, “same booth as the first time.”

Steve brought his hands up to Tony’s hips and he groaned as his boyfriend spread his cheeks to finger at his sore rim. He was still loose and wet from the night before, slick where Steve was smearing precome onto him.

“I want to take you on a drive,” Steve slid a finger into his tight heat and Tony moaned rocking into the delicious pressure. “Let’s shower so we can go get breakfast, I want to make you waffles.”

Without missing a beat, Tony was being lifted into Steve’s arms, wrapping his legs around his boyfriends torso, their cocks sliding against each other. He set to work sucking a hickey into the milky skin of Steve’s neck, as he walked them into the bathroom, blindly turning the water on.

Tony felt his back hit the tiled wall and he tilted his head up, water sluicing down his face as Steve bit bruises into his neck. Steve pulled away, eyes dark with desire as his fingers slid across Tony’s ass. “Can I take you?”

“Please,” Tony panted, his blunt nails digging crescents into the muscle of Steve’s broad shoulders as he arched into him. Steam rose around them as the water heated and Tony truly appreciated Steve’s insistence on a slip-proof bath mat as he rutted against him desperately. “I needed you in me yesterday.”

Steve laughed as he pushed in two fingers, scissoring Tony open with a pleasant burn. He made sure Tony’s legs were firm around him before lifting his other hand to tease across his dusky nipples loving the way it made Tony writhe. “I was in you yesterday, beloved.”

With a high whine, Tony rolled his eyes reaching between them to grab Steve’s cock and line him up. Slowly he pushed himself down, Steve easily sliding past his rim until he was pressed firm against Tony’s ass. “God you always fill me up perfectly.”

Steve laughed into his collarbone, eyelashes fluttering kisses into his neck as he slowly lifted Tony off him, before letting gravity pull them back together with a low groan. Tony felt Steve’s tentative fingers against his rim before Steve was pushing into him harder, gliding over his prostate as he struggle to catch his breath.

Biting into his shoulder, Tony carefully worked his way up Steve’s neck to his jaw in response to the fingers teasing across his sensitive nipples. Steve tilted his head, water spraying off his hair as he sucked bruises into Tony’s neck where they couldn’t be hidden by his elegant suits. 

Steve pounded into him, their eyes meeting under the warm spray as Steve pressed him into the wall. Tony tilted forward, parting his lips for Steve’s tongue to slide, warm and wet into his mouth.

“I was made for you,” Tony gasped out, the words followed by the rush of his climax. Tony sagged against Steve who was still chasing his own orgasm as Tong clenched down around him to help him along.

Steve slowed with his release letting out a soft moan as he stroked his fingers through Tony’s matted curls, brushing them out of his face. Tony let himself be carefully lifted off Steve’s cock, leaning into his boyfriend’s side as his legs wobbled.

“You’re so beautiful,” Steve whispered pressing kisses into his skin. Tony loved the feeling of Steve’s fingers gently working through his hair as he massaged in shampoo and then conditioner, carefully washing it off him.

Tony tilted his head back, letting the water drip down his nose as Steve passed the rough loofah down his body, coated in spring soap. Steve efficiently scrubbed his own hair, passing the soap down his own body before helping Tony out of the shower and swaddling him in the fluffiest towel he could find.

With a kiss pressed to his nose, Steve picked him up bridal style, carrying him out to their bedroom and dropping him on the bed with a soft whump. Tony peeked out from his towel cocoon to find Steve looking down at him with an incredulous expression on his face. He frowned, “something wrong, Steve?”

The most gorgeous smile broke out across his face and Steve bent over him, slotting their lips together in a chaste kiss. He slowly pulled away, his forehead resting on Tony’s before grabbing another towel to dry off his hair. “I just can’t believe that you’re mine.”

“Always,” Tony grinned as Steve carefully pushed his hair off his face, grabbing his glasses off the nightstand and sliding them onto the bridge of his nose. He sat quietly on the bed as Steve shifted through their closet. He emerged holding a black [romper ](https://cdna.lystit.com/photos/f012-2014/01/30/line-dot-black-romper-product-1-10119428-3-058653856-normal_large_flex.jpeg)that Tony had impulse bought a few weeks prior,  his eyes bright.

“I am going to change in the bathroom,” Steve pressed a kiss to the side of his head, and Tony watched his beautiful, plump ass as he disappeared behind the bathroom door. Tony had bought nice white lace underwear for their anniversary, and he dug through his drawer looking for them. He quickly slid them on before pulling the romper on. He was admiring his reflection in the mirror when Steve got out of the bathroom. 

Steve came up behind him, sliding his arms around Tony’s waist. He felt himself melting back into his boyfriend’s warm chest, loving the steady thump of Steve’s beating heart. “You’re so beautiful,” Steve whispered pressing a kiss to his stubbly cheek. “I love you so much.”

“I love you too,” Tony laced his fingers with Steve, bringing them up to his lips and brushing kisses across his knuckles. “Ready for breakfast?”

Tony grinned at the picture of himself on the fridge. It was crazy to think that Steve had taken it a year ago, him stretched out across Steve’s bed in his parent’s house, covered in a rainbow of syrup. Steve always remembered to take it down whenever they had guests, but when it was the two of them, Steve liked to keep it up there, on proud display. It was like the other art of Steve’s that Tony had nailed up on the walls, landscapes, and stills, and so many pictures of Tony, in his workshop, lying in their bed, at the park. The triptych that had kicked off their relationship hung in their bedroom above the bed and Tony loved looking at it whenever Steve made a late night in his studio. 

The rest of the day flew by in a breeze of kisses and whispered adoration. After lunch, Steve drove them to Coney Island where they cloud watched on Riegelmann Pier, and ate enough ice cream to satisfy their sweet teeth till their next anniversary. They kissed on the Cyclone, earning them an enthusiastic wolf whistle as their teeth clacked against each other. 

When they finally made it back to Steve’s house, laughing breathlessly on the front porch, Tony’s face hurt from smiling so much, his lips red and swollen from all the kisses he’d been on the receiving end of. Steve dug his keys out of his pocket with one hand, not willing to relinquish his grip on Tony as he wiggled the door open. 

Sarah was on them the moment they stepped through the doorway, pressing kisses to their heads, Steve still had to bend down to accept his, and ushering them inside. She had her  _ Kiss Me I’m Irish  _ apron on, her blonde hair pulled up in a messy bun at the nape of her neck as she led them to the kitchen where dinner was being kept warm by the oven. Joseph immediately got up to hug them both, giving Tony a particularly hard squeeze.

Champagne was brought out and Tony couldn’t fight his delight at how excited Joseph and Sarah were to be there to celebrate their first anniversary with them. Tony helped Sarah pour the bubbly into flutes, loving the fizz in his nose as he took a sip. 

It wasn’t long before their bellies were full of lasagna and Tony was stumbling after Steve to his bedroom. It hadn’t changed much since their first time together and Tony loved the blast from the past.

Steve’s breath tasted like champagne, and to Tony’s surprise, coconut, but that was probably his own chapstick. He wasn’t anywhere close to drunk though, his vision clear and his movement unwavering as he slowly unbuttoned his own jeans. “We can just sleep,” Steve pressed a kiss to his cheek as he yanked off his shirt, “we don’t have to go again.”

“I want you,” Tony groaned low and needy as he fisted Steve’s hair, bringing their mouths together. “You’re so beautiful.”

With kisses pressed to his skin, Steve slowly lowered Tony onto the grey sheets. He slid off his romper, eyes lighting up when he was greeted with the sight of Tony’s erection straining in his lacy underwear, precome dampening the front of it. Steve leaned forward, eyes searching his for hesitance as he mouthed at Tony’s cock through the fabric. Tony squeezed his eyes shut, head thrown back in ecstasy as Steve slid his underwear to the side to slip the tip of his finger into Tony’s greedy hole.

He didn’t know where Steve had gotten out the lube, but he loved the wet slide of Steve’s fingers pressing him open, calming kisses pressed to the bones of his hips. Tony sighed carding his fingers through Steve’s hair as he slowly scissored him open. And then his underwear was being pulled down, just enough to let his erection free so Steve could suck him down. Tony’s delighted scream made him glad that Joseph and Sarah had left using the ruse of getting groceries.

Steve looked up at him, innocent eyes a beautiful juxtaposition to his mouth stretched around Tony’s cock as he probed at the head with his tongue. Somewhere in Tony’s sea of pleasure, he vaguely registered Steve getting a third finger into him, seeking out Tony’s prostate and carefully brushing against it to tease him harder.

Letting Tony’s cock fall out of his mouth with an obscene pop, Steve shifted Tony higher up the bed, kissing up his torso and across his chest before finding his mouth, their teeth bumping together as Steve sucked into his mouth, biting into his bottom lip and tugging. He pulled away, their foreheads resting together as Steve carefully slid his fingers out of Tony. He kicked his pants off along with his boxers and lined himself up, sliding in with a groan. “You’re so beautiful.”

Tony arched into Steve, a high whine of pleasure escaping his throat without his permission as his blunt fingernails dug into the firm muscle of Steve’s shoulders. Tony leaned forward capturing one of Steve’s nipples in his mouth. His boyfriend was always so sensitive, proven by the dark groan he let out as Tony let his teeth brush over his skin. He kissed across to the other one, his fingers sliding up into Steve hair to tug on it.

In retaliation, Steve got his fist around Tony’s cock, sliding up his shaft and passing a thumb over his slit in time with his thrusts. With his free hand, he grabbed Tony’s chin, pulling him into a rough kiss. Tony loved the hint of teeth on his lips as Steve drove into him, hands bruising on his face.

They broke away for air, foreheads together as they shared breath. Steve’s beautiful blond lashes fluttered as he focused his arresting blue eyes on him. They peaked at the same time, white stars blinking in and out of Tony’s vision as he let his climax wash over him in a soft wave.

Steve pushed into him riding out their orgasm until the bite of overstimulation forced Tony to gently push him away. He slid out, fingers circling Tony’s rim before he pulled them into his mouth. 

Washing off was quick, and Steve gently scrubbed him clean, rubbing moisturiser into his skin with fluttering kisses. Tony was still blissed out as Steve led him back to bed, pulling off the stained top sheet and setting Tony down.

He lay back in Steve’s bed throwing his arm over his eyes. The sheets smelled of Sarah’s detergent and Tony ran his fingers over the familiar grey comforter.

Steve pulled on his favourite pair of boxers and tossed Tony a green pair with pink beakers on it. He watched Tony’s brow furrow as he wiggled into them, before flopping back on the mattress, totally exhausted.

“Tony,” Steve gripped his hands tightly, sitting him up on the bed and loving the indignant expression on his face. He pressed a kiss to Tony’s furrowed brow before kneeling in front of him. “You are the best muse I could have asked for. Not only do you keep my head on straight, but you also make me a better artist and a kinder person. You’re the best part of me and I love you.” Tony’s mouth dropped open in absolute shock as Steve lowered himself down onto one knee. “Anthony Edward Carbonell-Stark, will you marry me?”

“I’m straight,” Tony blurted out.

There was a beat of silence where Steve had an absolutely shocked look on his face before he burst out laughing, his grip on Tony’s fingers the only thing keeping him from falling over. “Awe man, beloved, that was a shock and a half but I deserved it.”

“Of course I’ll marry you, ya big doof.” Tony’s face hurt with how big he was smiling as he smacked Steve’s shoulder with his left hand before wiggling his fingers at him, “put the ring on me.”

Steve slid the band up his finger and paused to look at the elegant silver. It was a Claddagh ring, Tony recognized it as Steve’s grandmother’s, with a small dark red ruby set in the crown. Tony couldn’t help the tears that sprung to his eyes as Steve rose to his feet to cup his face.

“You’re beautiful,” Steve whispered brushing away a stray tear off Tony’s cheekbone with his thumb.

“You make me beautiful,” Tony responded with a smile.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fun fact: The draft of this was written in Comic Sans MS.  
> I'm also really surprised with how much love this fic has gotten. I appreciate every single one of you who have left kudos and comments! I have so much fun interacting with you guys and it really does give me motivation to write more.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you guys so much for reading this crazy train wreck. This is my longest fic to date and I have had so much fun writing it. I appreciate all of you and your patience. I know updates were stupidly late every week because my work school/personal/balance is a mess.  
> This was also my very first explicit fic. I've never written smut before so let me know how I did. 
> 
> Drop me a comment and let me know what I can do better, what you want to see, and how I can improve.
> 
> Here's a quick note about the timeline to clear up any possible confusion:  
> It’s springtime (Tony mentions that it’s not yet summer so there aren’t many tourists which is honestly a total lie because New York has tourists all year round but we’re pretending.) so it’s been almost a whole three years since they last saw each other and Tony has just had his 21st birthday (I used the MCUcanonical May 29th birthday). Anyway, Steve would be almost 22 because he has a summer birthday and the American system is weird. (I’m a Canadian so I couldn’t explain it if I tried.) I hope that helps. I know Tony makes it seem like longer, but that’s just because he’s a drama queen and honestly, he spent all that time missing Steve, it must have felt like a lifetime to him. (Not to mention Steve’s growth spurt so he looks like a super soldier instead of the tiny boy Tony remembers.)
> 
> I am in desperate need of beta readers. If you or someone you know is interested in joining my crazy as I go on late night caffeinated writing binges, drop me a comment or find me on [tumblr](https://starksnack.tumblr.com/) or [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/starksnack/).


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